Photo credit: musiccitymiracles.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

There have been multiple reports in recent days that the Raiders would be interested in trading for Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, which Oakland should do in a heartbeat. Armed with three first-round picks in this April’s NFL draft and flushed with nearly $73 million in salary cap space per Overthecap.com, the Raiders can send one of those picks to Pittsburgh and pay the going rate for the dynamic Brown.

Imagine quarterback Derek Carr throwing touchdowns to a wide receiver like Brown?

Carr threw for 4,049 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season, much of that with insufficient talent at wide receiver. After the team traded away Amari Cooper to Dallas near midseason, free-agent addition Jordy Nelson was slowed by injuries for much of the season.

In fact, Carr’s most trusted receiver in 2018 was tight end Jared Cook, who had a career-year across the board. Cook had career-highs in catches (68), yards (896) and touchdowns (six) is an unrestricted free-agent and chances of him returning to the Silver and Black are a possibility.

But Antonio Brown would give Carr a legit weapon that other teams would have to fear. Brown has the ability to score from anywhere on the football field and the way that Raiders head coach Jon Gruden can design plays, getting Brown the ball shouldn’t be a problem.

Brown finished with 104 catches for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns, which led the NFL in 2018. Last season was the sixth-straight season that Brown recorded at least 100 catches, an NFL record per the Elias Sports Bureau.

With the Steelers reportedly seeking a first-round pick, the Raiders could ship either their own No. 4, or the No. 24 (from Chicago) or the No. 27 (from Dallas) respectively to Pittsburgh for Brown.

Just a thought, but the Raiders should make the move.