Some big moves are likely to happen across the NFL as training camp gets closer. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team to watch, as they still have some holes on the roster.
One of the bigger concerns is at cornerback. The Raiders cut Jack Jones and lost Nate Hobbs in free agency, so those are two starters who won’t be back. Jakorian Bennett could win his starting job back, but he’s a young player.
Right now, it looks like Eric Stokes could be one of the starters, but he has one career interception in four years. If the Raiders want to upgrade at cornerback, general manager John Spytek could call up his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports pitched a trade that would send veteran cornerback Jamel Dean to Las Vegas
“Dean’s six-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers includes a Super Bowl title and big-money extension, but the veteran has been frequently mentioned as a potential cut or trade candidate due to a $15 million 2025 cap hit, almost all of which the Bucs could clear from their books by dealing Dean elsewhere,” Benjamin wrote. “Las Vegas is a logical landing spot firstly because new coach Pete Carroll still lacks formidable answers at cornerback, secondly because the Raiders have more than $30 million in available cap space, and thirdly because there’s a personal connection here: New general manager John Spytek directed the Bucs’ player personnel department when Dean was drafted in 2019.”
Buccaneers May Not Want to Deal Dean
Dean has been a key defender for the last six seasons for Tampa Bay and was part of the team that won the Super Bowl in 2020. While the Buccaneers might want to start committing to their younger and cheaper cornerbacks, Benjamin pointed out that they may not want to risk weakening their defense.
“Even if Dean is more serviceable than special at a lofty price, the Bucs are trying to defend their NFC South crown, and jettisoning such an experienced corner would put immediate pressure on rookie corners like Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish to have a playoff-caliber impact,” Benjamin wrote.
Dean Could Be a Free Agent
The Buccaneers like Dean, but he’s likely not part of their long-term plans. A trade could be possible, but there’s also a chance Tampa Bay cuts him outright.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report listed him as a potential cut candidate this offseason.
“While he is far from the highest-paid corner in the NFL, his contract is quite weighty given his injury history (he missed a career-high five games last year) and regression in skill,” Kay wrote.
“Dean conceded a career-high 69.7 percent completion rate in 2024 and allowed a concerning 66.1 percent completion rate the season prior. Those marks are well above the 54.2 percent completion rate he posted over the first four years of his career meaning it could be time for Tampa to part ways with the soon-to-be 29-year-old.”
If Dean is cut, it becomes much easier for the Raiders to sign him. The team should wait and see what happens before they consider giving up assets.
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