REPORT: Raiders Could Consider Trading Khalil Mack Due To His Holdout

Would the Oakland Raiders seriously consider trading Khalil Mack?

Yes, according to ESPN.com’s Paul Guiterrez:

Wait, what? Sure, the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year who made NFL history a year earlier by being named first-team All-Pro at both defensive end and outside linebacker is a foundation piece for the Raiders. But his holdout, which reached 10 days on Monday, is mystifying to many in the organization. Now, would it be smart for Oakland to trade the face of its defense as it begins a rebuild under Jon Gruden? Probably not, but as Gruden himself recently told NFL Network, the Raiders’ defense was not that good in 2017 with Mack. Ouch. GM Reggie McKenzie (jokingly?) asked me at the NFL owners meetings in March if I had an extra $100 million to help him pay Mack. And if a team flashed a first-round pick at Oakland for the services of Mack, who wants an extension beyond the almost $13.5 million he is scheduled to make this season under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and the two franchise tags that could await him in 2019 and 2020, the Raiders would be silly to not at least listen.

Mack has been a dominant force since entering the league in 2014. At 6-3, 252 pounds, Mack plays both outside linebacker and defensive end. He was named first team All-Pro at both positions in 2015 and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.  He has three straight seasons of double-digit sacks and has started every single game in his four year career.

inlineg

Yet, the Raiders could seriously consider trading such a rare talent because they don’t want to pay him the lucrative contract he deserves:

The Raiders couldn’t possibly be this dumb, right?