The Las Vegas Raiders weren’t supposed to be in this spot, but a 3-3 start has them looking more like deadline buyers than a team ready to strip things down. That opens the door to an idea that would have sounded far-fetched not long ago: making a run at Colts guard Quenton Nelson.
Indianapolis could be willing to move him after firing general manager Chris Ballard, and Las Vegas has a clear hole at left guard. Spencer Burford has held that spot, and the Raiders could use a real upgrade there.
The question is whether they want to spend more capital on the interior of the offensive line when so many other needs remain. Even so, Nelson is the kind of name that forces a team to take a hard look.
The Raiders’ run game has been one of the league’s worst, and the numbers are brutal. They sit 32nd in rushing success rate, 31st in EPA per rush, and 31st in yards before contact per rush, all a year after using a top-10 pick on a running back. The offensive structure around the run game has improved this season, but the ground attack is still broken.
Nelson would be the quickest way to change that. He has been one of the NFL’s premier run blockers for nearly a decade, and there’s no sign he’s slipping.
This season, his 88.3 PFF run-blocking grade ranks second among 58 guards with at least 200 snaps. Burford, the player he’d replace, ranks 40th.
Nelson would help the passing game, too. He has allowed pressure on just 1.3% of his pass-blocking snaps this season and has not surrendered a sack. Burford is allowing pressure nearly 4% of the time.
Of course, the fit only makes sense if the price is right, and this would not be cheap. Garrett Podell of CBS Sports estimates Nelson would cost a second-round pick, or possibly a first-rounder if several teams get involved. That’s a steep ask for a 30-year-old, even one viewed as a Hall of Fame lock.
Then there’s the contract. Nelson is on an expiring deal and would need a new one after any trade.
Spotrac projects his next contract at around $24 million per year. With Tyler Linderbaum’s deal already on the books, that would leave the Raiders with two interior offensive linemen making more than $50 million annually.
That’s a lot to commit, especially for a roster that still has other problem areas to address.
In Other News...
Raiders Are Still Reworking The Roster As The Spotlight Grows
The Raiders kept shuffling the edges of the roster this week, adding offensive tackles Amari Kight and Darian Kinnard to the practice squad while moving on from offensive lineman Evan Neal and tight end Chris Myarick. It is the kind of late-season housekeeping that often gets buried, but it matters for a team still trying to stabilize itself up front and keep enough depth in place as the workload and scrutiny keep rising.
The spotlight has only intensified around Las Vegas after its games against the Bills and Chiefs landed among the most-watched programs of the week on CBS Sports. The attention has not all been flattering, either, with Bills safety CJ Gardner-Johnson suspended after being ejected for spitting on Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, another reminder that these games are carrying plenty of heat beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Trade Deadline Focus Comes Down To One Crucial Roster Decision
The Raiders are heading into the trade deadline with several areas on the radar, but the conversation keeps circling back to the offensive line. Las Vegas has been weighing possible upgrades up front, while also looking at the defensive backfield and wide receiver spots as it evaluates where help might matter most. Head coach Klint Kubiak has pointed to the development and challenges along the line and in the secondary, a reminder that this roster is still trying to find its most reliable combinations.
Jalen Nailors return has given the receiver room a needed boost, but the bigger issue remains how to strengthen the group around him without shortchanging other areas. Run blocking has been part of the concern, and the Raiders also know they need more depth at guard and receiver as they sort through their deadline options. The decision now is less about whether there is room to improve and more about which weakness deserves to be addressed first. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosby Trade Talk Puts Raiders Fans In A Tough Spot
A trade-deadline feature from CBS Sports put Maxx Crosby in an uncomfortable spotlight, naming the Raiders edge rusher among the players it would like to see moved before the NFL deadline. The piece connected Crosby to the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, which is the kind of speculative chatter that immediately gets attention around the league when a star pass rusher is involved.
From the Raiders side, the timing only adds to the tension because the team has been better this season and Crosby remains central to everything it does on defense. Still, the conversation came with a familiar caveat: even if the idea is being floated because Crosby could want a better shot at a championship, a deal is seen as doubtful, and there is no clear sign he wants out of Las Vegas. [Read more 🡒]