The expectation around the NFL is that the Raiders will be highly aggressive in finding their next franchise quarterback. They will turn over every stone to find a quarterback that can go toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West.
But quarterback isn’t the only position that needs to be addressed this offseason. One spot the Raiders have to upgrade is the interior defensive line. They just didn’t have enough juice at that position and needed someone who could anchor the middle of their defense.
In a recent article by Adam Rank of NFL.com, he named Derrick Brown (Panthers) as a possible trade target. Here is why Rank believes the star defensive tackle could be available via trade:
Brown is a solid piece, and you could reason that he should be considered the anchor for a young defense. But his contract is up after the coming campaign. Do you see the Panthers, fresh off a 2-15 disaster of a season, legitimately competing in 2024?
The Panthers, who gave up a whole bunch to secure Bryce Young’s services in last year’s draft (including their first-round selection this April and second-rounder in the 2025 draft), need to restock the draft coffers with picks.
Brown is exactly the type of player the Raiders should be targeting in a trade. He is highly productive and would fill a huge need. Plus, he is just 25 and already one fo the top defensive tackles at the position.
Could the Raiders offer their second-round pick (and maybe a little more) for Brown? Carolina needs the draft picks to reinvest into their offense to build around Bryce Young. It might take more than that to get a deal done, but Brown is a player the Raiders should be targeting this offseason.