Analyzing Oakland Raiders' Best Trade Options with 4th Pick in NFL Draft

The Oakland Raiders have a big decision to make in the upcoming draft. The team has the fourth overall pick, and there are a lot of intriguing players that will be available at that spot. But with a roster so short on reliable performers, the team has to consider trading the pick.

The Raiders have to come out of the first round with a player who can step in and contribute right away. What they have to figure out is how best to accomplish this. For the first round to be a success, it might have to be from somewhere outside of the No. 4 spot.

What is Oakland dealing with at No. 4 overall?

There are far too many variables in any draft to make any sort of definite decisions. However, there are some knowns that the Raiders can work with.

As of now, this is what we know:

• In order, the teams picking ahead of Oakland are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• The top four prospects play three positions: quarterback (Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Florida State's Jameis Winston), defensive end (USC's Leonard Williams) and wide receiver (Alabama's Amari Cooper).
• Tampa Bay will not select a wide receiver.
• Tampa Bay and Tennessee both need franchise quarterbacks.
• Jacksonville will not take a quarterback.
• Tampa Bay and Tennessee need an upgrade at defensive end.
• Jacksonville already has a reliable defensive end in Sen'Derrick Marks, but it could consider pairing him with Williams.
• Oakland needs an upgrade at defensive end and wide receiver and will not select a quarterback.

This information provides an idea of what Oakland is dealing with at the top of the draft, what options this creates for teams later in the first round and how this can affect different trade scenarios.

Should Oakland try to trade up?

Trading up is a real option for the Raiders. It seemed for years as if Oakland never had its full slate of picks. But this year, the team has enough picks to put together an intriguing offer for the three teams ahead of it.

The team could trade up to secure Cooper. If the Raiders agree that he's the can't-miss wide receiver many think he is, they could look to move into the second or third spot. However, this pick would come at too high of a cost. It would also be unnecessary with West Virginia's Kevin White also available.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

There's only one justifiable reason for Oakland to trade up: Williams.

Williams is not only the top-rated defensive lineman in the draft, he's arguably the top-rated prospect overall. He would provide a huge boost to Oakland's pass rush, one of the team's weakest areas.

But things are complicated in the top three. Along with Williams, there are also two top quarterback prospects available in Mariota and Winston. With both in high demand, the Raiders could find themselves in a bidding war for either the first or second pick.

What this means for Oakland is that no matter whom it tries to make a trade with, that team is going to demand a price that's too high. It would likely cost Oakland its first- and second-round picks this season plus picks in the future. This is something the team can't afford given how many holes there are on the roster.

As much of a boost as it would be to add Williams, the team is better off staying at fourth overall rather than moving up.

If the Raiders trade, it has to be down 

Trading up just doesn't make sense for Oakland. On the other hand, trading down is something the team should seriously consider.

If the Raiders do decide to move down, it should be with the intention of picking up a number one wide receiver. While most have Cooper as the top prospect at the position, White is arguably as good.

	2014 Stats
	Amari Cooper	Kevin White
REC	124	109
YDS	1,727	1,447
AVG	13.9	13.3
TDS	16	10

USA TODAY Sports

For the Raiders to take Cooper, they would have to do so at number four. However, White will be available later in the first round. By trading down and taking him, they will still get a player they need while adding much-needed picks.

For Winston and Mariota to both be selected ahead of Oakland, it would have to happen in the first two picks. But if either Tampa Bay or Tennessee decides to go in a different direction—and with Williams available, there is a very real chance that they will—Oakland has to get on the phone immediately, as there will be no shortage of trading options.

With the fourth overall pick and a possible franchise quarterback on the line, the Raiders could demand four picks, including two first-rounders. In this scenario, Oakland could look to trade with Washington (fifth overall), the New York Jets (sixth overall) or the Cleveland Browns (12th overall). There are other teams looking for a quarterback, but the Raiders would be dropping down too far.

However, these options are tricky because all three teams have recently selected quarterbacks that they may or not have given up on yet: Robert Griffin III, Geno Smith and Johnny Manziel.

Because of this, the best trade option for Oakland is with the St. Louis Rams at 10th overall.

Unlike the other teams, St. Louis has a quarterback in Sam Bradford who's had enough time to establish himself. But through five seasons, he's played more than 10 games only twice, and he missed all of 2014. Injuries, including a clavicle fracture and two torn ACLs, have caused him to miss 31 of a possible 80 games since being drafted.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

He's injury-prone, and he's never led his team to the playoffs. With him entering the final year of his contract and carrying a hefty price tag ($13 million next season), this is the right time for the Rams to go in a different direction and bring in his replacement.

In this scenario, the Raiders could get three additional picks: a 2016 first-round pick, a 2016 third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in either 2015 or 2016. This would, of course, also include the 10th overall pick this year, where Oakland could still pick up a true number one receiver in White.

There's no guarantee that White would still be available when Oakland selects 10th, but it is likely. From five to nine, the teams selecting are (in order) Washington, the Jets, the Chicago Bears, the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants. All five teams already have a number one receiver. 

This trade would give the team the ability to bring in more young talent and secure a playmaker that the team desperately needs.

Conclusion

Staying put at fourth overall wouldn't be a bad thing for the Raiders. The team should be looking for a wide receiver or a defensive lineman at this spot, and a proven performer will be available. But if the option to secure such a player while getting additional picks is there, the team has to consider it.

Ultimately, it could prove to be the best option of all.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com. Share your thoughts and opinions on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.