For what the Raiders need and what is expected to be on the board, some believe the best course of action is for them to strike a deal with a team to move down in the draft. That idea often sounds good in theory from the perspective of those who think a team can load up on picks and still somehow get all the prospects they want. But in this case, it might just prove possible.
Trading the pick is something ESPN's Bill Barnwell did with the Raiders picking up a second round pick from the Bears to move down to tenth overall.
Raiders get: 1-10, 2-41Bears get: 1-6, 4-108
Mock drafts have leaned into the Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, but that's extremely aggressive in a draft in which so many talented running backs are available. Jeanty is widely regarded as the best of the bunch, but there's a significant opportunity cost with taking a back here. And as we've seen in the past with Darren McFadden and Leonard Fournette, taking the first back in a deep class isn't a guarantee that a team will end up with the most productive player.
As was the case with the Jags at No. 5, the Raiders could still target Jeanty by moving down four spots and adding a juicy second-round pick in the process. The Raiders aren't short of 2025 draft capital even after the Geno Smith trade, but they're unquestionably short of homegrown talent on their roster. This team needs as many picks as possible so Pete Carroll & Co. can develop starters.
The Raiders two biggest need spots are wide receiver and running back.
For the former, there is only one who is a lock value pick near the top of the draft (Justin Hunter) and he is highly unlikely be there when the Raiders pick at sixth overall. The latter would mean drafting at a non-premium position from a deep class.
So, in either case, trading down a few spots would make taking a player at those positions more in line with their draft position. It would be a smart move if the trade Barnwell is proposing were on the table. Perhaps for both teams as the Bears would be in line for one of or either of the draft's top tackles.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: ESPN NFL mock draft: Raiders, Bears pull off win-win draft trade
