Trade scenarios for 3 Raiders candidates to be dealt before NFL deadline

The Raiders' 38-33 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday improved their record to 4-4 and kept them in the AFC playoff picture, sitting one game behind New England for the seventh seed with a tiebreaker advantage. The Athletic's playoff simulator gives Las Vegas a 19 percent chance to qualify. Coach Klint Kubiak acknowledged the front office is active in trade discussions daily as the Nov. 10 deadline approaches, saying, "We're talking every day about those things. (General manager John Spytek) and his staff do a great job. That's every day in the NFL — especially this close to the deadline. You're talking about many scenarios."

Had the Raiders lost and fallen to 3-5 with a difficult upcoming schedule, selling would have been the more sensible path. Instead, the team is unlikely to buy as a rebuilding squad despite remaining in contention. Three players remain potential trade candidates, though the likelihood of deals varies significantly.

Defensive end Maxx Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowler, drew interest from Baltimore earlier this year in a deal that was voided. The market for a player of his caliber appears to be two first-round picks, as evidenced by the Chicago Bears' trade for Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons. Short of that kind of offer, the Raiders are unlikely to move the 29-year-old face of the franchise, who has three sacks, 22 tackles, and four tackles for loss this season.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins is playing at a high level at age 38, ranking second in passing touchdowns (19), third in yards (2,124), and sixth in passer rating (101.4) among qualified starters. As long as the Raiders remain "in the hunt," as Kubiak said, they should not trade Cousins unless presented with an offer they cannot refuse, such as a first-round pick. He is also driving the playoff push and modeling professionalism for successor Fernando Mendoza.

Rookie guard Jackson Powers-Johnson has fallen out of favor, losing his starting right guard job to Caleb Rogers and then Trey Zuhn III. Kubiak confirmed Monday that Zuhn is in line to start again. Powers-Johnson, now a backup and special teamer with starting experience at center and guard, could benefit from a fresh start elsewhere in his third season.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal