Oakland Raiders Should Strongly Consider Trading Denarius Moore

By Kevin Saito @Kevin_Saito on October 23, 2014

Sitting at 0-6 and mired in a 12-game losing streak that dates back to last season, it’s probably safe to say that Oakland Raiders fans probably won’t be organizing playoff parties this season. While not mathematically eliminated, the Raiders’ shot at the postseason in reality is all but over. This means that Oakland can begin looking for ways to improve as a team for the 2015 season. To improve, they’ll need explosive, young playmakers, so draft picks next year will be at a premium. And they can look to add to their slate of picks next year by shedding players who aren’t adding to the team — players like Denarius Moore.

Coming into the season, there were question marks surrounding Moore. Former HC Dennis Allen questioned Moore’s work ethic, as well as his ability to perform. In this, Moore’s fourth season in the league, he’s showed tremendous promise — promise that has, by and large, remained unfulfilled. Over the course of his career, Moore has struggled with consistency. While he’s showed flashes of brilliance and has made his share of highlight reel catches, Moore’s career to this point has been marked by too many bad drops, as well as by the fact that he tends to become invisible for long stretches within a game — and over the course of a season.

But entering the current campaign, Allen was willing to give Moore another shot. And Moore repaid him by contributing next to nothing. Despite being targeted eight times in Oakland’s season opening loss to the New York Jets, Moore hauled in just two passes for a total of eight yards. The following week against the Houston Texans saw Moore — targeted five times — make three grabs for 29 yards.

It was his performance against the New England Patriots, though, that may have finally earned him a ticket out of the Bay Area. On seven targets, Moore came away with three catches for 23 yards. But with time winding down and the Raiders just scant yards away from their first win of the season, Moore came across the middle and bobbled a perfectly thrown pass by Derek Carr. Moore’s bobble — a ball he should have caught — was ultimately intercepted, keeping the Raiders’ losing streak alive.

Following the game against the Patriots, Moore was inactive against the Miami Dolphins. And since then, in games against the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals, Moore’s role in the offense was vastly reduced — he was targeted just once in each game.

The presence of James Jones, the development of Andre Holmes and Brice Butler, the eventual return of Rod Streater, as well as the addition of Kenbrell Thompkins and Vincent Brown — coupled with his inconsistency and declining role — has made Moore an expendable piece in Oakland. A piece they should get what they can for in a trade.

While Moore is certainly not a highly valued or coveted quantity in the league, he’s lightning fast. And in the passing league that is the NFL, some teams covet speed. Moore is not likely to bring about top dollar in return, but for a team in rebuild mode like the Raiders, being able to stockpile draft picks — even late-round picks — is as good as gold. For a receiver-needy team looking for a wideout who can stretch the field, Moore might net the Raiders a late-round pick.

While some might not see that as fair value for a player like Moore, he’s in a contract year and will likely be allowed to walk at season’s end where the Raiders will get nothing in return for him. No matter which way you slice it, Moore will not be with the Raiders next season. It would be better for them to trade him to acquire a draft pick or two they can use to put some talent around Carr.

Being the last winless team in the league, interim head coach Tony Sparano and GM Reggie McKenzie have nothing to lose at this point. They need to make decisions without fear of being wrong — in truth, how much more wrong can you be than 0-6?

Trading away Moore and getting what they can for him is something they should do immediately.

Kevin Saito is a fiction writer, sports junkie, history nerd, and NFL contributor to www.RantSports.com  Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or on Google