Raiders' Potential Trade, Cut Candidates After 2024 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of reasons to be excited after the 2024 NFL draft even if they didn't find a quarterback.

The Silver and Black brought in an exciting draft class highlighted by Brock Bower and Jackson Powers-Johnson while earning a B+ in our draft grades.

Add in the additions of free agents like Christian Wilkins and Gardner Minshew II and it's safe to say that general manager Tom Telesco is already making his presence felt in the front office.

While his biggest decisions this offseason were centered on adding talent, the next group of decisions he is going to need to make will involve who is leaving.

The Raiders can only carry 53 players on the active roster going into the season. The cutdown to that number is still months away, but it's a good time to look at the roster and see who might be on the chopping block.

Whether it's a player who has enough value to trade or someone who could be released based on the current roster and financial situation, here are three names to watch.

RB Ameer Abdullah

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Ameer Abdullah

The Raiders backfield is going to look a lot different in 2024. With Josh Jacobs leaving for the Green Bay Packers in free agency, the hierarchy is going to shift dramatically.

Zamir White and free agent signee Alexander Mattison figure to be the primary beneficiaries of the move. However, the third running back spot on the roster could be up for grabs.

Ameer Abdullah played 21` percent of the offensive snaps last season while serving as a core special teamer. He was the team's kick returner and also got some work as a third-down back.

The 30-year-old could find stiff competition for that role in sixth-round pick Dylan Laube. The New Hampshire back was one of the most versatile weapons in FC last season. He had 749 rushing yards, 699 receiving yards and averaged 31.1 yards per kick return.

Laube is old for a running back prospect at 24 years old. That probably impacted his draft stock, but it also means that the Raiders could have enhanced confidence that he can get on the field right now.

Abdullah is hitting the running back age cliff and is a vestige of the Josh McDaniels era.

It wouldn't be surprising to see him outright released if Laube can come in and prove himself.

LB Luke Masterson

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DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 30: Luke Masterson #59 of the Las Vegas Raiders defends in coverage during an NFL game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 30, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

There's a lot to like about Luke Masterson. He went from undrafted free agent to starting seven games in his rookie season in 2022.

He carried that momentum into a reserve role on the defense in 2023. At the beginning of the year he was the third linebacker and saw a little bit of action in each game. By the end of the season Masterson saw very few snaps. He played 22 snaps in Week 15 but two or fewer in every other game from Week 14 on.

It isn't going to get any easier for Masterson to carve out a role. The Raiders used a fifth-round pick on Tommy Eichenberg. The Ohio State 'backer could push Masterson for the role of third linebacker.

Eichenberg is a classic, tough linebacker. B/R scout Matt Holder highlighted his old-school skill set in his scouting report:

"He's a good run defender with impressive instincts who clearly loves contact, as he's physical at the point of attack and comes downhill with a flurry. He also has a relentless motor and is tough as nails, which he proved by playing with two broken hands at the end of the 2022 season."

Telesco brought in Eichenberg so he'll get every chance to carve out a role, even as a Day 3 pick. Masterson, meanwhile, will need to prove that he has higher upside than Amari Burney and Darien Butler, who will also be competing for roster spots.

WR Tre Tucker

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Tre Tucker

Let's get this out of the way first, the Raiders shouldn't cut Tre Tucker. The 23-year-old had some flashes of brilliance last season and his speed is an asset to the offense. He's on a cheap contract so it makes no sense to let him walk for nothing in return.

But the selection of Brock Bowers in the first round will leave him with a smaller role than what he was projected to have ahead of the draft.

Bowers is listed as a tight end, but he's simply an offensive weapon. Given offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's penchant for using 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends), we can expect a lot of packages with both Michael Mayer and Bowers on the field at the same time.

That diminishes the need for a true slot wide receiver.

At 5'9", 185 pounds, Tucker is a pure slot receiver. However, Jakobi Meyers is also capable of operating on the inside and Bowers is going to get a lot of run from the alignment as well.

If there's a team that's willing to part with a decent draft pick to get Turner, the Raiders should be willing to listen.