Oakland Raiders: Five Veterans Who Are Most Likely To Be Pink-Slipped

Reggie Nelson (S)

As the last line of Oakland’s defense, Reggie Nelson made a few big plays last year – as his five picks can attest to. But for as many fine plays as he did make, he also made an equal number of mind-numbingly terrible plays. If not more.

Nelson was frequently out of position, took bad angles to the ball, and simply whiffed in coverage. Nelson’s inconsistent play helped lead to Oakland giving up 38 “big plays” on defense (big plays defined as plays that go for 25 yards or more)

And those 38 big plays the defense gave up were the most in the league, in case you were wondering.

Having drafted college standout and athletic freak Obi Melifonwu in this year’s draft, along with adding youngsters like Shalom Luani and Marcus McWilson to pair with 2016 first round pick Karl Joseph, the writing for Nelson very well may be on the wall. After all, the inserted into the starting lineup Joseph right away, so it’s not like HC Jack Del Rio as averse to playing his young guys.

Though most think Nelson’s experience may be his saving grace – and it could potentially be – the more likely scenario that plays out is that Nelson is given his walking papers and Melifonwu starts playing alongside Joseph immediately – which would give the Raiders an athletic and very formidable pair of safeties.

And as if Oakland needed any more reasons to let go of Nelson, cutting him with a post-June 1 designation would give them another $6 million dollars of breathing room under the cap. He’s made some good plays, but given his inconsistency, don’t expect to see Nelson in the Raiders’ defensive backfield in 2017.