Las Vegas Raiders: 3 players fans should keep an eye on this weekend
By Matt Holder
Trae Waynes
Cornerback is another position Las Vegas has struggled to find an adequate solution for in recent years…well I guess technically Oakland has done the searching. While Trayvon Mullen looks like a building block for the future, the organization could still benefit by adding another player on the other side, especially with Daryl Worley’s future with the team up in the air.
Even if Worley is re-signed, he became more of a “hybrid” player down the stretch by playing some safety and adding another corner will allow the team to continue to exploit his versatility.
Some Raider fans may remember the name Trae Waynes as he was loosely tied to the organization as a potential draft option five years ago. The Silver and Black would go on to select Amari Cooper that year and the Minnesota Vikings swooped up Waynes before Oakland’s next selection.
In Minnesota, the former 11th overall pick never blossomed into an NFL superstar, but he has been a solid contributor by starting every game the last three years as the number two option behind Xavier Rhodes. While this past season wasn’t great – 722 yards, five touchdowns, and a passer rating of 108.3 when targeted – Waynes had an impressive 2018 campaign allowing only 441 yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 85.5. Given the down year, the cornerback could be a good value buy for the Raiders. It’s also worth noting that Guenther is a disciple of Mike Zimmer, the Vikings’ head coach, so Waynes wouldn’t have too steep of a learning curve in Las Vegas.
San Francisco has a couple impressive wide receivers in Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel, so this weekend will be a good case study to see what the cornerback is worth. If Waynes can put together an impressive performance, he may earn some money and catch the eyes of Mayock, Gruden, and Guenther.