Las Vegas Raiders free agency primer: Cornerbacks
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders head into the 2020 offseason with a lot of questions to be answered. Here are their pending free agent cornerbacks.
The Las Vegas Raiders will have to be better on defense in 2020 if they are going to make a statement in the AFC West, especially due to the fact the defending Super Bowl champs are in their division. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are almost unstoppable through the air, which means the Raiders secondary will be a key focal point in the draft, and in free agency this offseason.
Looking at the current roster of contracts, the Raiders have three guys that play the cornerback position who are entering free agency. Of the three, only one figures to be a key player for the Raiders in 2020, and that man is Daryl Worley, who signed a one-year deal to stay in Oakland this past season.
During the 2019 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected Trayvon Mullen in the second round, and he looked every bit the part of a CB1 in his rookie season. With Lamarcus Joyner moving back to safety in 2020, the Raiders have to get better as a whole at cornerback, so free agency is going to be huge for them this Spring.
With that said, let us look at the current members of the Silver and Black who will hit free agency this offseason.
Expiring Contracts
- D.J. Killings
- Makinton Dorleant
- Daryl Worley
Who Stays
It would not surprise me at all if all three are back with the Silver and Black in 2020, as both Killings and Dorleant are ERFAs, meaning if Las Vegas offers him a one-year deal, and the league minimum, they can’t negotiate with other teams.
Worley is a guy who should be a part of the Raiders long-term plan, as he is still very young, and has proven he can be a versatile cornerback within this defense. They are likely going to have to throw a multiple-year deal at him, as he is unrestricted and can sign anywhere, but it appears he likes playing for the Raiders, and no state tax in Nevada should help.
Overall, this is a position group that should see a lot of change in 2020, though the base is in place for it to be a very good, and very young unit moving forward. Las Vegas won’t be able to do anything special if the defense does not improve this season, and Worley can certainly help them continue to trend in the right direction.