Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players who need to step up in 2020
By Matt Holder
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players who need to step up in 2020
Lamarcus Joyner
Last offseason, Lamarcus Joyner was widely considered one of the best defensive backs available on the open market. He had the versatility to play either safety or nickel corner and was coming off an impressive 2018 campaign, where he allowed a completion percentage of 54.3 and a passer rating of 87.7. After signing the veteran to a four year $42 million contract, it looked like the Raiders struck gold, however, that was far from the case.
Joyner struggled mightily last season, giving the organization some buyers remorse. The figures mentioned above shot up to 69.9 percent and 109.8 in 2019, which obviously, wasn’t what the team had bargained for. Las Vegas hoped that the former Ram could be team’s solution at slot corner but instead, they were forced to find a plan B.
Two months ago, the Silver and Black selected Amik Robertson in the fourth round of the draft, who many analysts feel was one of the biggest steals of the weekend. Robertson is expected to compete with Joyner for playing time on the inside, meaning the latter will likely be on a short leash throughout the year.
Beyond this season, the six-year pro has minimal dead cap space tied to his contract, so if he doesn’t step up in 2020, he could easily be looking for a new employer in March.