Silver Minings: Bleacher Report proposes trading away 2 Pro Bowlers

We’ve reached the point in training camp where trades and thus, trade rumors, start running rampant around the league. Everyone has had at least a week’s worth of practice so the coaching staff has a better sense of where their veterans are at. Bleacher Report got a jump on the hypothetical wheeling and dealing and sent two former Pro Bowlers for the Las Vegas Raiders packing; running back Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.

B/R’s Alex Ballentine sent Jacobs to the Arizona Cardinals and below is part of Ballentine’s rationale.

Cardinals Receive: RB Josh Jacobs

Raiders Receive: 2024 third-round pick, 2025 sixth-round pick

At this point, the Arizona Cardinals need all the help they can get on offense. With Kyler Murray’s murky timeline to return from a torn ACL he suffered at the end of last season, they could be looking at an offense with Colt McCoy at the helm.

...Last year’s leading rusher has not shown up at training camp. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Jacobs “doesn’t plan on returning to the team anytime soon” after the team failed to sign him to a long-term deal, leaving him to play on the franchise tag.

The Cardinals are in a position where they need to find playmakers to build their offense around and they can’t be too picky about what position they play.

Ballentine also explained his rationale for sending Renfrow to the Atlanta Falcons.

Raiders Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick

Falcons Receive: WR Hunter Renfrow

...There’s a lot of overlap between what Renfrow and new free-agent signee Jakobi Meyers bring to the table. Both are smaller receivers who operate out of the slot and specialize in working underneath defenses.

The problem is the Raiders are slated to be paying quite a bit for both of them. Renfrow is primed to account for cap hits over $13 million in each of the next two seasons, but trading him now would save $7 million against the cap.

...It’s hard to picture a role for Renfrow in the Raiders offense, but not so hard to see him manning the slot in an offense with Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Mack Hollins threatening vertically.

What do you think of these trades?

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In other Raiders links:

• Jerry Tillery’s 2023 impact: “Las Vegas is banking on the defensive tackle adding teeth to pass rush up the middle,” writes Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria.
• UDFAs to watch: S&BP’s survey shows fans are interested in seeing how linebacker Drake Thomas and offensive linemen McClendon Curtis and Dalton Wagner do during training camp.
• Gareon Conley headed to XFL: the Raiders' 2017 first-round pick is signing with the D.C. Defenders, per reports.
• Potential surprise cuts: Just Blog Baby dives into a few potential shockers at the end of camp.