Why a Former Divisional Foe Might Join Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders need help at the cornerback position and could be even thinner at the position soon. They could turn to a former player from a division rival for help.

Dec 12, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) runs the ball and is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward (35) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

A team can never have too many dependable cornerbacks in a pass-happy league. The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback, but their need for additional help at cornerback cannot be overlooked, as free agency could make them even thinner at the cornerback position.

Last season, the Las Vegas Raiders got a taste of what life would be like if any of their starting cornerbacks went down with an injury or were otherwise unavailable, and the results were not pretty. Las Vegas has drafted cornerbacks in the last two drafts but needs more.

At one point during the season, the Raiders were without multiple cornerbacks for extended periods, proving how top-heavy Las Vegas was at cornerback. They must address this issue this offseason, as it is a glaring weakness opponents have already attacked.

"The Raiders’ team needs list is almost as long as a CVS receipt, but upping the secondary needs to be a focus for new general manager John Spytek. Ward seems to be a good match for what Pete Carroll hopes to accomplish," Locker said.

"Under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham last year, Las Vegas played either Cover 3 or Cover 2 on a combined 51.5% of coverage snaps, and [Pete] Carroll’s defensive background is also predicated around Cover 3. Since 2022, Ward has generated a 75.1 PFF coverage grade in Cover 3-type looks, and he’s played the fifth-most Cover 3 snaps of any cornerback. Likewise, Ward has been a lockdown player in Cover 2, producing an 89.6 PFF coverage grade over the past three years.

"Ward didn’t play like his dynamic-self last year, but he could come in and immediately be Carroll’s top cornerback on a defense yearning for coverage help," Locker said.

The Raiders cannot afford to ignore the cornerback position this offseason. Whether they address the position in the draft, free agency, or both, Las Vegas cannot enter next season without at least one or two new cornerbacks, as they are incredibly thin.

It must be noted that the cornerback position was also needed last offseason. Although the Raiders drafted Decamerion Richardson last offseason, they also lost Amik Robertson in free agency. The Raiders need multiple cornerbacks this offseason.

This will be even more so the case if the Raiders lose Nate Hobbs in free agency.

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