When the Raiders’ trade chips come up, Maxx Crosby is usually the first name that jumps to mind. That makes sense - every team in the league would want a player like him - and the idea of moving him even showed up earlier this offseason, if only for a few days.
But Las Vegas may have a couple of other names quietly gaining some value: Malcolm Koonce and Isaiah Pola-Mao. Neither move would be the obvious one.
Koonce was just re-signed and remains an important rotational edge rusher, while Pola-Mao could still be in line to start on opening day. Even so, both players are starting to look a little more movable than they did a few weeks ago.
Pola-Mao is the easier one to picture getting dealt first. Rookie Treydan Stukes is clearly pushing to take over at free safety, and if another team needs help there, the Raiders could speed up that transition sooner than later. Pola-Mao isn’t viewed as a top-tier starter, but he has had success before and could fit better in a different system that puts him in the right spots.
The return wouldn’t be huge. A late-round pick or a player-for-player type of swap, similar to last year’s Thomas Booker-Jakorian Bennett deal, would be more the range than anything dramatic.
Still, Las Vegas would also clear $3.23 million in cap space by moving him, which gives the idea a little more bite. That money is close to what recently-waived wide receiver Cedric Tillman would cost if John Spytek wanted to take a swing.
The depth chart is also working against Pola-Mao. Stukes is on his heels, Tristin McCollum has looked solid, rookie Dalton Johnson is coming on, and Taron Johnson is set to get some work at safety too. With only one year left on Pola-Mao’s deal, this would be the moment to explore a move.
Koonce is a different kind of case. On talent alone, he may actually be less likely to go anywhere. The 2021 third-round pick has been brought back by Spytek in back-to-back offseasons, and he still projects as the No. 3 edge rusher behind Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye.
But the camp and preseason picture has been a little quieter than expected. Keyron Crawford, a third-round rookie, isn’t getting cut.
Patrick Johnson has made a strong case. Cian Slone, an undrafted rookie, has too.
That creates a tricky numbers game, even if Koonce himself remains one of the better players in the room.
A trade would free up $4.86 million in cap space, and a fifth-round pick could be enough to make someone listen. The Raiders would have to be comfortable with the edge group they keep - or with whatever comes next on the waiver wire or trade market - because Koonce is still a top-three pass rusher on this roster.
So no, neither deal feels likely. But neither one is fantasy, either. If Las Vegas decides it wants to save money and lean into players who may be around longer, Pola-Mao and Koonce are at least starting to make that conversation real.
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Raiders Just Got A Real Chance To Address A WR Concern
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For Las Vegas, the appeal is obvious: they currently sit in line for waiver priority and could add a young receiver with NFL experience before other teams get involved. Whether the Raiders choose to act will say plenty about how aggressively they want to reinforce that part of the roster, especially with a player whose career has shown enough promise to still draw attention. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Backfield Suddenly Has A Preseason Name Fans Need To Watch
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Mike Washington Jr. has emerged as the preseason name worth tracking, and Kubiak made it clear the undrafted rookie has earned attention with the way he has progressed through camp. The next game will be a meaningful test for Washington, because the Raiders are not just looking for flash in one exhibition - they need to know whether he can help stabilize a position that suddenly feels a little thinner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fringe Players Face Defining Auditions In Final Preseason Tuneup
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Some of those battles already have a shape to them, with Kirk Cousins viewed as the leader in the quarterback competition, Ogunbowale seemingly in line for a running back role and Jackson Powers-Johnson ahead at right guard. Even so, the Raiders still have to decide how the rest of the depth chart fits together, and this matchup is the kind of late-August audition that can swing a job one way or the other before the roster gets trimmed. [Read more 🡒]