Oakland Raiders: 5 2018 free agency targets in-house

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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 15: Reggie Nelson No. 27, Dexter McDonald No. 23 and TJ Carrie No. 38 of the Oakland Raiders react after a play against the Los Angeles Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Don Feria/Getty Images) /

28. . Cornerback. Ohio Bobcats. T.J. Carrie. 4. player

It was a rough year for the Raiders secondary to say the least. However, three cornerbacks did eventually benefit from expanded playing time as the season wore on due to injuries in the position group. One guy that did help himself in a contract year is slot cornerback T.J. Carrie.

Carrie, along with safety Karl Joseph, were the most consistently solid defensive backs for a bad Raiders secondary. While Joseph would improve as a cover guy in the back of the defense, Carrie seemed to hold his own covering guys in the slot. He had a rough training camp, but did grow under former assistant head coach and defensive coordinator John Pagano’s watch.

Odds are, Carrie will garner more money than he made on his rookie contract. He doesn’t need to have a bunch of suitors, but there could be a slight bidding war for his services in 2018. It would not be shocking to see him end up with whatever staff Pagano ends up on. He got better as the year wore on under Pagano. Maybe a fresh start elsewhere is the best thing for them?

Obviously, the Raiders have to get better in the defensive backfield. Outside of Joseph and last year’s rookies Gareon Conley and Obi Melifonwu, it’s debatable of how many Raiders defensive backs from 2017 are part of the long-term plan. Keep an eye on Carrie’s free agency. For a discount, he might come back. However, he could make seven figures on the open market.

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