Raiders' Opponents Ranked: Safeties, No. 1
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In trying to make back-to-back trips to the playoffs for the first time since 2000-02, the Las Vegas Raiders will navigate the NFL's fourth-hardest rated schedule, according to Pro Football Focus.
We just went through the best cornerbacks the Raiders will face, and we'll keep it in the secondary, looking at the best safeties on the Raiders schedule.
One can make the argument that Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard is a better pure deep cover safety than Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James.
He may be, but James possesses a skillset that is rare even among today's multi-talented defensive backs.
It probably isn't even right to classify him as just a safety, as James is capable of stepping into any position along the Chargers back-seven of their defense.
He played 224 or more snaps at safety, in the box and covering in the slot during last season.
He can take on the most important matchup, be it covering a receiver, tight end or running back, and have the ability to blanket them in coverage.
James showed that last season as he limited quarterbacks to a 56.7 completion percentage and a 63.7 QB rating.
James isn't out of place playing around the line of scrimmage, evidenced by having 105 or more total tackles in the two full seasons he's played.
He can be even be used to get to the quarterback, having 5.5 career sacks and proving to be a weapon as a blitzer.
PFF graded James as being well-above average in every major category, and finished as their 10th-highest graded safety from last season.
It was a successful comeback season for James, which brings us to the biggest concern that surrounds him.
Before staying relatively healthy last season, James had played in a combined five games 2019 and 2020, including missing all of the 2020 campaign.
With that many missed games already accumulated, James isn't going to shake the injury label anytime soon.
When he's healthy, though, he can be one of the elite defensive backs in the game, and a major problem for the Raiders.
James had an interception in the Chargers win against the Raiders last season, and he gives them someone that can matchup with any of the Raiders best offensive players.
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