Raiders could receive calls about this veteran as season continues to crumble
The Las Vegas Raiders should absolutely be sellers at the trade deadline of the 2025 NFL season. While Jakobi Meyers' name is top of mind, other Raiders like Maxx Crosby, Tyree Wilson, Jamal Adams and Jackson Powers-Johnson have all been wrapped up into trade rumors as well.
While the team was quick to dispel the notion that Crosby could be dealt, they're now reportedly fielding calls about Meyers, which means players like Wilson, Adams and Powers-Johnson certainly aren't immune to being moved.
But there is one player that Raider Nation has lost track of a bit this season due to his underperformance and flying under the radar. He's shown enough in the past, however, and his contract is such that he could be an unheralded trade piece for Las Vegas.
Raiders could cash in on Malcolm Koonce trade with several needy teams
Malcolm Koonce shined for the Raiders in the back half of the 2023 season, but after suffering a torn ACL at the onset of last year, he just hasn't looked quite the same. He signed a one-year prove-it deal this offseason, and while he has improved as a run defender, he just hasn't made any splashy plays.
Granted, he's always been a twitchy pass-rusher, which makes coming off a major injury even more difficult. But the current regime in Las Vegas never saw him at his peak, so there's a chance that he could be deemed expendable and potentially dealt at the deadline.
Several contending teams need a talented pass-rusher, like the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts. With Koonce on a one-year deal and Wilson still on his rookie contract, the Raiders could look to get a draft pick in return if another team wants Koonce on a rental.
Koonce does have five run stops and the fifth-highest run defense grade on the Raiders, according to Pro Football Focus. His pass-rush win percentage of 12.9% is also solid enough, and light-years better than Wilson's 7.3%.
While Raider Nation would rather have the team re-sign Koonce at the end of the year to what will likely be a cheap deal, there is a chance that the new leadership does not value him like the previous regimes did.
If a draft pick is on the table for Koonce, Las Vegas could trade him and look to rebuild the defensive end room in next year's draft. It may not be ideal, but there should be very few players in the building at this point who are off limits for the Raiders to trade as they look to start over once again.
Lions Get Bad News on Next Opponent’s Star Player
The Detroit Lions are locked in a tight race for supremacy in the NFC North, and could be facing a big challenge in their coming game against a division rival.
The Lions are in their bye week this weekend, a time they will use to rest and hopefully recover from some of the injuries that have been mounting, especially on the defensive side of the ball. But this week will also give the rival Minnesota Vikings the chance to get their starting quarterback ready for the matchup against the Lions next week.
Lions Expected to Face J.J. McCarthy in Next Week’s Game
As The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported, McCarthy is in position to return to his starting position next week against the Lions. McCarthy has missed the last five games with a high ankle sprain, but Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Friday that the second-year quarterback is making good progress toward his return.
“He got some work today and he will hopefully get some work throughout the early part of the week, which will lead him into a full week of preparation,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell added that McCarthy would spend the bye week getting back into rhythm and rebuilding a rapport with his wide receivers.
“For J.J., it’s going to be about the commitment that he’s made throughout his rehab of getting back to those concrete fundamentals and techniques that allow his feet and eyes to work together and find completions to any one of our five eligibles, whether it’s a receiver or T.J. (Hockenson) or even Aaron Jones or Jordan (Mason) or Zay (Zavier Scott) out of the backfield,” O’Connell said.
The Vikings struggled with veteran Carson Wentz under center. The ailing veteran completed 15-of-27 passes for 144 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, playing through some obvious pain.
The Vikings put a lot of faith in McCarthy, allowing veteran Sam Darnold to leave in free agency after he led the team to a 14-3 record last year following a season-ending injury for McCarthy. The second-year quarterback showed some promise in his start to 2025, but the high-ankle injury has raised new concerns about whether he might be too injury-prone.
Lions Could Get Some Help on the Injury Front
While the Lions will have to face McCarthy next week, they will also have some help on the way as their own players recover from injuries. Jimmy Liao of USA Today’s Lions Wire reported that Detroit will have several players returning over the coming weeks, including safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph next week, with cornerback Terrion Arnold and running back Sione Vaki returning the next week.
They will have more returns in the weeks that follow, including cornerback DJ Reed, defensive lineman Marcus Davenport, and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.
While the returns will help bolster a Lions defense that has now faced two years of mounting injuries, the team could also look to bring in outside help. Some insiders predict the Lions will seek defensive help at the trade deadline, boosting depth in their secondary or defensive line.
