Oakland Raiders Must Address Holes in the Secondary this Offseason
By Kevin Saito
The Oakland Raiders are a team on the rise, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have many gaping holes to fill this offseason. Armed with a warchest that exceeds $50 million dollars, as well as a very knowledgeable and defensive minded coach in Jack Del Rio, the Raiders will be looking to lure some top flight talent to Oakland to help right the long foundering ship.
One of the biggest areas of need for the Raiders is in the secondary. Charles Woodson – though soon to be 39 years old and playing like he’s 21 years old – is a steady stalwart of Oakland’s defense. But he can’t do everything on his own. The Raiders have some solid young talent in their defensive backfield, but for the most part, it’s still developing.
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Which is why GM Reggie McKenzie needs to be looking to add a premium cornerback via free agency.
Last year’s seventh round pick, Travis Carrie, stepped in and had an immediate impact for the Raiders in 2014. Though he battled a few injuries, Carrie finished an impressive rookie season with 44 tackles, eight passes defensed, and one interception. In 13 games last season, Carrie showed absolute flashes of brilliance, but also made some boneheaded mistakes.
On the other side of the field is former first round pick, D.J. Hayden. Though he played in just ten games last season – with eight starts – Hayden finished with 47 tackles, 10 passes defensed, and one interception. Though injuries have slowed his development over his first two years in the league, Hayden had some impressive moments in 2014 – and some moments that Raiders’ fans would absolutely love to forget.
The Raiders also got contributions on the corners from Neiko Thorpe, Keith McGill, and Chimdi Chekwa. Assuming the Raiders bring back restricted free agents Thorpe and Chekwa, the team has some solid, young players who have done a nice job in the defensive backfield. The problem has been with their consistency, as well as staying healthy.
Dec 28, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden (25) interferes on a pass intended for Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 47-14. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The problem though, is that they are young and still need some development and polish to take their skills to that next level. And unfortunately for the Raiders, they don’t have the time to wait for those players to develop. Oakland needs some NFL-ready cornerbacks to step in and have an impact for the defense, and they need them now.
Unfortunately, for the Raiders, the free agent crop at cornerback is extremely thin. There are a couple of names out there though, that could prove very intriguing. And quite possibly, very helpful should the Raiders be able to reel at least one of them in.
Antonio Cromartie, Perrish Cox, and Brandon Flowers are all set to hit the open market. Though all have some miles on their tires, all showed in 2014 that they still have plenty of rubber left. Cromartie – 30 years old – started all 16 games for the Cardinals last season and had 52 tackles, 12 passes defensed, and three interceptions. Cox – 28 years old – had 53 tackles, 18 passes defensed, and five interceptions for the San Francisco 49ers last season. And Flowers – who many thought McKenzie should have made a play for last season – had 52 tackles to go along with ten passes defensed and three picks in 14 games last season.
Last season’s free agent acquisitions, Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers, battled injuries but played adequately for the Silver and Black in 2014. But to turn that corner, the Raiders need players who play more than simply, “adequately.” They need difference makers. They need players that make opposing quarterbacks fearful of putting the ball in the air. And any one of those three listed above would go a long way toward doing just that.
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As a unit, the Oakland defense gave up 238 yards per game, which put them in the middle of the pack. The Raiders secondary didn’t play horrible football last season. But there is a lot of room for improvement. Adding a veteran corner to have an immediate impact on the field, as well as to help with the development of players like Hayden, Carrie, and McGill, would go a long way toward making Oakland a better defensive unit.
The Raiders have some young, exciting playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. But the keyword there is young. They still have much to learn and much growth to do yet. Which is why, when the free agency window opens, McKenzie and Del Rio need to be there, checkbook in hand and sales pitch at the ready, to bring a talent like Cromartie, Cox, or Flowers to Oakland in 2015.
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