This week ESPN's Bill Barnwell looked at the trade market and saw the Las Vegas Raiders as the obvious candidate to land Jaguars WR Briant Thomas. On the other hand, Rich Gannon looked at those same Raiders and came away with a very different feeling.
The former Raiders quarterback and 2002 NFL MVP agrees the need is real. He just doesn't believe the front office will pay what it takes to fill it before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
"Coming out of training camp, I knew wide receiver was an issue," Gannon said, via casino.org. "When you look at the lack of depth and talent and experience in that group, it's a big concern. We don't have a legitimate number one."
No one is disputing that part. Barnwell's case for Thomas rests on the same hole, with Raiders tight end Brock Bowers carrying the passing game, wide receiver Tre Tucker headed for free agency after the season, and offseason signing Jalen Nailor managing six catches in five games.
Why Gannon expects the Raiders to stand pat
Gannon's doubt comes down mainly to price, and he laid out the front office's thinking in very simple terms.
"I think the Raiders really believe they want to build through the draft," Gannon said. "They want to be smart in free agency, and I think the Raiders will probably make do unless they can find a solution that makes sense, not only in terms of the compensation and the draft picks, but also in terms of what it's going to cost them in salary."
The draft-pick part is where a Thomas deal gets complicated. Barnwell pegged the price at something close to what the Houston Texans gave Arizona for Marvin Harrison Jr., which means a package built around a second-round pick for a receiver who hasn't caught a pass in two weeks. For a team grooming rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a second-rounder is a future starter, and Gannon's instinct says this regime won't hand one over lightly.
Brian Thomas might make sense for Raiders in one criteria
Gannon's second warning is where the argument flips in Thomas' favor.
"You don't want to overpay for a guy that doesn't have a lot left on the treads of his tires," Gannon said.
Thomas has a lot of tread left. He is 24; he made the Pro Bowl after catching 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, and the former 23rd overall pick is still on his rookie contract with a fifth-year option behind it. The salary concern Gannon raised barely applies to him.
There is also a funny twist to his slide. Thomas' numbers dipped last season before the Jaguars traded for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, and the team that sent Meyers to Jacksonville was the Raiders. Bringing Thomas to Las Vegas would reverse the move that may have helped push him further down the depth chart.
If the Jaguars will take a second-round pick for a 24-year-old with a 1,282-yard season on his resume, Thomas might be the rare trade that fits every rule Gannon laid out.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders legend QB weighs in on Las Vegas WR plans at trade deadline