Raiders' Opponents Ranked: Safeties, No. 2

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.

If we were ranking this list based on coverage ability alone, Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard could very well rank No. 1.

Even if he isn't, Byard still belongs among the best safeties in the NFL, a status he's held since 2017.

That was Byard's second season, where he tied for the league lead in interceptions with eight and had 16 pass breakups, each still his career-highs.

Byard finished in PFF's top-10 safety rankings for the first time that season, and was in the top-10 for the next two years before falling off a bit in 2020.

Last season saw a strong return to form for Byard, though, ranking as PFF's highest graded safety.

Byard's grade in coverage was tops among all safeties, and he finished top-10 in run defense for good measure.

When you look at the numbers Byard put up last season, it's not hard to understand how he graded so highly.

Playing all 17 games, Byard had five interceptions, 13 pass breakups and scored two defensive touchdowns, all while leading the Titans in total tackles.

Byard gave up a completion percentage of only 51.7 percent in coverage, the third time in the last four years Byard has allowed fewer than 60 percent of passes to be completed against him.

Since his breakthrough 2017 season, Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard and Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson are the only players with more interceptions than Byard's 23.

The two-time First-Team All-Pro is undoubtably one of the best ballhawks in the NFL and will present a big worry for the Raiders.

Even with the upgrades they've made offensively, it would likely suit the Raiders to avoid Byard's side of the field as often as possible.

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