# Raiders can’t afford to ignore these two phone calls at the trade deadline

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/raiders-cant-afford-to-ignore-these-two-phone-calls-at-the-trade-deadline/
- Published: 2026-11-09T19:08:32+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T19:23:41+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/09/sports/nfl-trade-deadline-why-raiders-listen-to-offers/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Las Vegas is 4-5 with a playoff chance still alive.
- A Cousins trade could bring a pick and more starts for Mendoza.
- Crosby would be difficult to replace, so any offer must be substantial.

## Summary

The Raiders must decide how much to prioritise a possible playoff run over improving their longer-term prospects at Tuesday’s trade deadline. At 4-5, they remain in contention, but their uneven performances raise questions about whether the team is strong enough to justify rejecting valuable offers for quarterback Kirk Cousins or defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Cousins has played reliably while rookie Fernando Mendoza learns the offence, and a mid-round pick from a team such as Minnesota could interest Las Vegas while giving Mendoza eight games as the starter. Trading Crosby would be a larger gamble because replacing his impact could take several drafts; the article points to Chicago’s deal for Jeffery Simmons, which included first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, as a benchmark. San Francisco and Detroit are suggested as potential fits for Crosby.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.