After a 3-3 start to the season, the Raiders likely won’t be sellers at the trade deadline. Instead, they are more likely to be buyers as they search for defensive help.
One spot the Raiders have to address is the defensive end position as they just haven’t gotten enough opposite of Maxx Crosby. The good news is that there are plenty of options available if the Raiders decide to go that route.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they took a look at 15 players that could be traded before the Halloween deadline. One of those players is Josh Uche, who the Raiders just saw play in Week 6. Uche had 13.5 sacks over the last two seasons, but could be available via trade this month:
Uche has been remarkably efficient as a designated pass-rusher in New England. He has generated 56 quarterback pressures and 12 sacks on just 285 pass-rush reps, with his 19.2% pass-rush win rate ranking sixth among edge defenders and his 20.7% pressure rate placing second.
The thinking here is that New England may struggle to find common ground in a valuation for a part-time player, with Uche logging just 373 total snaps in 2022.
How much would it cost the Raiders to trade for Uche? That is unclear. But he would be a perfect fit opposite of Crosby and could play on passing downs over Tyree Wilson (as of right now). With the Raiders and Patriots already completing multiple trades with one another in recent years, this potential deal would make a lot of sense.
