Five Oakland Raiders Facing a Make Or Break Season
By Kevin Saito
Dec 28, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) makes a catch in front of Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden (25) in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The opinion on Hayden is pretty clearly split down the middle of the Raiders’ fan base. Half of the fans love him, the other half seem to curse the day McKenzie selected him. While 2013 wasn’t the greatest of drafts in terms of talent, McKenzie passed on talents like Sheldon Richardson, Kiko Alonso, and Le’Veon Bell, among others, but instead drafted a project player with a history of serious injury.
Two seasons later, Hayden has continued to battle injury and has appeared in just 18 of the team’s 32 games. Though he’s showed some really promising flashes, he hasn’t come close to being consistent – or living up to his status as a first round pick. While it might be too early yet to call him a bust, some people believe that designation is getting close.
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2015 is going to give Hayden the opportunity to shut everybody up and prove that he has what it takes to be an NFL cornerback. With veterans like Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers gone, the Raiders will be relying primarily on Hayden and Travis Carrie in the secondary.
It’s time that Hayden steps up and proves that he’s capable of manning the corner for the Raiders – well that, and staying healthy. If he wants to be seen as an elite corner, he’s going to have to start playing like one.
A bad season in 2015 – a season that should be his star turn in the NFL – could see a diminished role for Hayden, and the possibility that he’s looking for a new place to call home when his contract is up.
Next: Redemption or Bust?