Las Vegas Raiders Free Agency Preview: Xavier Woods
We’ve been going through some of the best free-agent safeties that the Las Vegas Raiders could add this offseason.
The trend will continue in this preview, as we now look at a less-heralded player, safety Xavier Woods.
A sixth-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, Woods was able to earn a rotational role right away. He started four games his rookie season, picking up one interception and 42 tackles.
Woods became a full-time starter in 2018 and has kept that role since, picking up four more interceptions and having 72 or more tackles the last two seasons.
However, Woods isn’t as highly rated as safeties we’ve already gone over like Marcus Williams and John Johnson III.
As evidenced by his low total of pass breakups in his career, he’s more average when it comes to making plays deep.
Woods' proficiency does increase when he plays closer to the line of scrimmage, showing he might be better served by being in the box more often.
He did show well enough overall to rank as the 24th best safety in the league in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Woods' value might have been hit considering that he was part of the Cowboys' awful defense last season.
It was his worst season, but he certainly wasn’t the only one that was let down by Dallas’ defensive schemes.
In a different situation with better coaching, Woods could very well return to being the effective starter he was before last season.
Considering that the Raiders are projected to be over the cap this offseason, Woods could be a more cost-effective signing if safeties like Williams and Johnson prove to be too expensive.
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