A few weeks ago, it looked like the Bears -- who were sinking to the bottom of the NFL -- might be sending the Raiders a top-10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to complete the Khalil Mack trade.
That hope appears to be gone now.
The Bears now have won three of their last four games, the latest a 24-20 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving. Chicago now sits at 6-6, but has a difficult schedule to finish the season. Still, a 6-10 record likely won't be enough for the Bears to drop back into the top 10, with so many NFL teams racking up the losses this season. (Yes, we're talking about you Bengals, Dolphins, Washington, Giants, Lions, Broncos and Jaguars.)
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Still, all hope is not lost for the Silver and Black. There still are a number of great prospects that will be available in the middle of the first round. Yes, that probably means Isaiah Simmons and Derrick Brown no longer are an option, but again, that doesn't mean all hope is lost.
We already looked at a few of the Raiders' potential draft targets, but let's pinpoint a few more that might grab Jon Gruden's attention.
Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
If we've seen anything this season, it's that the Raiders need to find a long-term solution in the middle of their defense. Yes, they like Vontaze Burfict and he might be back next season, but they need more than a veteran on a one-year deal. Enter: Dylan Moses.
NFL
The Alabama linebacker is an explosive player, with sideline-to-sideline ability and a nose for the football. He missed this season with a torn ACL, so it's unclear if he'll remain in school to improve his draft stock or come out, but he'd be a great fit in Paul Guenther's defense.
Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
We know the Raiders need a wide receiver. Oklahoma star CeeDee Lamb and Alabama burner Henry Ruggs both would be ideal targets, but we've covered them before. So, let's talk about one of the under-the-radar receivers in the elite 2020 class -- Tee Higgins.
At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, the Clemson star is the perfect big-body wide receiver for the NFL. Higgins is an improved route runner who excels at boxing out smaller defenders and going up and high-pointing the ball for big downfield gains. Higgins has been a big vertical threat for Trevor Lawrence and could be the same for Derek Carr.
Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Shed a tear for missing out on Derrick Brown, who almost certainly will go in the top-10. Still, Kinlaw wouldn't be a bad consolation prize for a Raiders team that needs a force in the middle to help shore up the defensive line.
Kinlaw moves really well at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds. He's an explosive rusher who is a physical freak. The Raiders need help pressuring the passer and Kinlaw can provide that up the middle, making life easier for those on the outside.
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K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
This might be a bit of a reach in the middle of the first round, but Chaisson has elite pass-rushing skills, he just needs to stay on the field. After an incredible freshman season, the LSU star tore his ACL one game into his sophomore season.
He hasn't been as dominant as many expected he would be this season. Chaisson has only notched two sacks and one forced fumble on an LSU defense that has been on the field a lot and has underperformed from a talent standpoint. The Raiders might not want to gamble on a boom-or-bust prospect like Chaisson, but expect him to be on their board come April.