Should the Raiders Trade Key Defender?

The Las Vegas Raiders would be wise to move this key defensive player before the NFL trade deadline.

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The 2024 NFL campaign has not gone according to plan for the Las Vegas Raiders.

While most did expect the Raiders to be a sub-.500 team going into the season, Las Vegas seemed to genuinely think it could contend for a playoff spot.

Perhaps the Raiders were still riding high on their shocking Christmas victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium last December.

Whatever the case may be, Las Vegas had some lofty expectations going into the season, but those hopes have obviously not been met.

Apparently, the Raiders are still refusing to budge, as they evidently plan on standing pat at the NFL trade deadline in spite of already jettisoning Davante Adams.

Las Vegas still has a couple of days to change its mind and move some more pieces before Nov. 5, and one player the Raiders should absolutely be aiming to trade is defensive lineman Adam Butler.

Butler has played in every game this season, logging 32 tackles. In his debut campaign in Vegas last year, he finished with 28 tackles and five sacks.

The 30-year-old is not a Pro Bowler by any means, but he is a positive force on the interior and would be a significant boon in the trenches of any contender.

So why aren't the Raiders trying to trade him?

Butler is in the final year of his deal, and given his age, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Las Vegas to retain him in free agency (unless, of course, the Raiders are going to trick themselves into not going with a full rebuild during the offseason).

And while Butler does not exactly have first-round value in a deal, he would still probably be able to fetch Las Vegas a decent draft asset. Even if it's a sixth-round pick, at least it's something for a Raiders squad that obviously is not going to the playoffs this season.

Butler is far from the only player on Las Vegas' roster that should get dealt. The Raiders have plenty of tradeable guys. But Butler's name seems to be flying under the radar, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the veteran surface in some trade chatter between now and Tuesday.

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