Raiders Trade Pitch Nabs Recent 1st-Round Pick for Steal of a Price

There are a few ways the Las Vegas Raiders need to improve over the next few weeks to months, as their core still isn’t where it needs to be. However, with a new quarterback in Geno Smith, Pete Carroll in town, and some other new faces, the Raiders should be a better team than they were a year ago. 

When searching for ways to improve further, AOL.com recently proposed an interesting trade idea that would land a former first-round pick in the form of Treylon Burks. Burks, who didn’t live up to his draft status with the Tennessee Titans, only had four receptions a year ago after dealing with a torn ACL that he suffered in October during a special-teams drill. 

“Burks has struggled to stay healthy and make an impact in Tennessee. A fresh start might help, and Las Vegas has an open competition behind Davante Adams. Geno Smith is already airing it out in Chip Kelly’s pass-happy offense, so Burks could carve out a role,” they wrote.

Raiders Still Looking for Talent

The Las Vegas Raiders have been linked to multiple wide receivers on the market, with some believing that they’ll show interest in a few free agents. 

That includes Amari Cooper, but Lincoln Kennedy, the Raiders’ team color commentator, doesn’t believe that he’d be a good fit. He noted that Cooper didn’t want to be with the Raiders the first time around, and with them being a potential landing spot now, he doesn’t believe it’d benefit either side. 

Considering the significant need for a wide receiver, and Cooper still being on the market, it’s somewhat telling that neither side has seemingly shown much interest in it.

“No. Let me preface this by saying, I remember when Amari was drafted, I was one of the first guys in the Raiders interview. I looked in his eyes and realized he didn’t want to be a Raider,” Kennedy said.

“I’m not saying that it’s slight in him. You don’t have any choice, a lot of times, where you’re going to be drafted. He didn’t enjoy his time in Oakland. That’s why he couldn’t wait to get out of there,” Kennedy continued. “He thought he found success in Dallas. My point for Amari is, he never took the next step to develop his route running skills. He is not a good route running receiver. 

“[He’s a] solid receiver when you get him in open space, but not a good route running receiver for what I think the Raiders need. “

Low Risk, Low Cost Trade

For the Las Vegas Raiders to add a player of Burks’ caliber, they might not have to give up too much. 

While Burks was a first-round pick, he posted 221 yards in 2023 with zero touchdowns and 444 in 2022 with one touchdown. 

When considering a potential trade, Cory Woodroof of USA Today proposed a deal in which he would be sent to the Raiders in exchange for a conditional 2026 7th-round pick. If that’s all it’d take for the former first-round pick, it’s something the Raiders should likely pursue. 

“Burks’ time in Tennessee feels nigh, as the former first-round receiver has struggled to live up to his draft status because of injuries,” Woodruff wrote. “If any team in the NFL could take a flier on a former first-round wideout, it’s the Raiders. Las Vegas has real questions at receiver, and Burks could contend for a starting role or a key depth role in Chip Kelly’s offense. Particularly with quarterback Geno Smith throwing the ball, we’d love to see Burks try to really get his NFL career going with one of the most pass-happy quarterbacks in the NFL,” he wrote.