Oakland Raiders newest addition adds to an already intriguing group

The Oakland Raiders added another young, athletic piece to their secondary, giving them a rather intriguing group.

Oakland Raiders HC Jon Gruden has made one thing abundantly clear since he took the reins – he’s going to change everything, and his tinkering with the roster will never be done.

Both of those things are great, because a lack of change can lead to stagnation, and stagnation breeds – well – more 6-10 seasons.

Gruden broke out his tool box and continued to tinker with the roster by adding cornerback Daryl Worley to the roster on Monday. It’s something of a surprise, given that Worley was recently cut by the Philadelphia Eagles (who obtained him in a trade with Carolina for receiver Torrey Smith), following his arrest near the Eagles’ training facility.

Worley was found passed out in his car and became belligerent enough with police, that they were compelled to tase him. An unregistered weapon was also found at the scene.

He’s very likely going to face some legal ramifications for the incident, and more than likely, he’ll face some disciplinary action from the league as well. Which would seem to make his addition to the roster somewhat curious to some.

But, if you’re looking at it, though Worley is in a bit of trouble, he’s probably not in a huge amount of trouble. On a scale of say, jaywalking to Reuben Foster, he’s going to come out of this on the lower end, more than likely. He might miss a couple of games – possibly.

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But, once he clears that hurdle, the Raiders will be getting a young, athletic cornerback who can help them shore up the position.

The cornerbacks group has already overgone an extreme makeover this offseason after Gruden cut Sean Smith and David Amerson, and let T.J. Carrie walk as a free agent. To rebuild the group, they’ve brought in Rashaan Melvin, who showed some real flash last season, Shareece Wright, who might be able to man the slot, Senquez Golson, who’s yet take an NFL snap, but has potential, and Old Man River, Leon Hall, who’s probably there for moral support.

They should also be getting last year’s first-round pick, Gareon Conley, back on the field after he basically redshirted his rookie season.

And in Worley, they’re getting a guy who’s just 23-years old and is coming off two solid seasons in Carolina. In 31 games (with 25 starts), Worley posted 150 tackles (111 solo), 19 passes defensed, two sacks, and three interceptions.

Worley is improving as an all around defender, excelling against the run, and showing marked improvement in his pass defense. He’s a young player who seems to be trending in the right direction on the field.

When you throw all the pieces Gruden’s collected this offseason into the pot and then take a look at what he’s assembled, you’d find that he’s put together an intriguing mix of players. A mix of players that, if they play to their potential and are utilized well, could form a very solid cornerbacks group. A group that could be a vast upgrade over the group the Raiders have had the last few seasons.

Granted, that’s a pretty low bar to clear, but that’s neither here nor there at the moment.

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They’ve got some excellent young talent in Melvin and Conley. They have a guy with some potential high upside in Golson, a former second-round pick. They have a guy who seems to be on the rise in Worley, and a serviceable veteran in Wright. And, of course, they have a veteran of Guenther’s system in Hall, who will be teaching them all the ins and outs.

Let’s also not forget any young talent they might pick up in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Oakland’s cornerbacks group is starting to take shape, and although there are still some lingering question marks, the unit has the potential to go from being an Achilles Heel, to potentially, being a strength of this defense.

Rather than allowing opposing offenses to rack up yards and touchdowns with the greatest of ease, this secondary – again, if all play to their potential – has the chance to start holding their own, and perhaps even helping the team win some games, rather than having to rely on Derek Carr‘s arm week in and week out.

What a concept, huh?

There are a lot of disparate parts and pieces still in motion – and Gruden is likely still not done tinkering – but as the group begins to take shape, you’d have to say, at the very least, that it’s an intriguing group of corners.

One that potentially has a high upside, and one that can possibly be a positive factor for this defense, rather than the punchline it’s been for the last few seasons.

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