Over the last few seasons, the Raiders have been “sellers” at the trade deadline. The team moved the likes of Amari Cooper and Gareon Conley in back-to-back years, gaining high draft picks for both.

However, there is a belief that the team could be interested in acquiring more talent at this year’s trade deadline as they try to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Some viable names include Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap or Marcus Maye.

But are there a few players on the team that could be expendable? Here are three players the Raiders should consider “selling” at the trade deadline.

1. WR Zay Jones

The Raiders acquired Zay Jones via trade around this time last season and to his credit, he’s improved nearly week. He’s looked like a completely different player over the last month and has turned into a reliable option on the outside for Derek Carr.

However, Jones is still buried on the depth chart and with Bryan Edwards likely to return for Week 7, he is no higher than No. 5 in the pecking order.

There are several teams across the NFL that could use a veteran receiver like Jones at a minimal cost. If the Raiders could get back a Day 3 pick for Jones, it might be in the best interest of the team and the player to move on. Again, Jones has been fantastic for the Raiders this season, but both sides know that opportunities for him to see targets will be limited over the next few months.

The Raiders could do Jones a favor here by moving him before the trade deadline.

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2. DT Maliek Collins

The Raiders made a bunch of smart moves in free agency, bringing in veterans like Nelson Agholor and Nick Kwiatkowski to help round out the roster. But one signing that hasn’t panned out is the signing of Maliek Collins.

Through Week 6, Collins is one of the league’s lowest-graded interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus. While he is dealing with an injury, his play had dropped off in a big way in 2020. Collins does not have a sack on the season and has been atrocious in the run game. In fact, he’s been borderline unplayable in this scheme and the team was better off with him out of the line in Week 5 against the Chiefs.

Collins signed a one-year contract with the Raiders early this offseason, but the team could decide to move on, recoup a draft pick and lean on Maurice Hurst and David Irving at three-technique. Collins likely wouldn’t return much in a trade, but sometimes it’s better to cut your losses early and move on.

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3. CB Lamarcus Joyner

Much like Maliek Collins, Lamarcus Joyner is another free-agent signing that hasn’t worked out for the Raiders. Joyner has become the team’s full-time slot cornerback and has struggled mightily in his transition over from the Rams.

Luckily, the Raiders do have a future successor on the roster with fourth-round pick Amik Robertson. Both players have struggled so far, but Robertson is the far younger and cheaper option.

The Raiders could decide to get out of Joyner’s contract now and play the rookie in the slot full-time. If they were able to add any future draft pick at all for the veteran defensive back, that would be a massive win by Mike Mayock and company.

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