The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to make a move in free agency regarding their secondary, so they must attack it in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders have made some nice moves in free agency thus far, bringing in a talented running back to pair with Josh Jacobs, adding quality players along the defensive line, and really shoring up the linebacker spot. Also, the offense seems taken care of, outside of right tackle, as they revamped the offensive line, and added wide receiver help, all the while picking up some more draft capital along the way.
As we inch closer to the 2021 NFL Draft, there is still a ton of work left to do, including in the team’s defensive backfield. Trayvon Mullen needs help at cornerback, and Johnathan Abram needs someone to start alongside him at safety, so addressing these issues has to be priority No. 1 heading into the draft.
Raiders must address secondary in 2021 NFL Draft
After adding to the defensive line, including getting talent off the edge, and bringing back Nicholas Morrow to the linebacker group, two levels of the defense have at least improved. Heading into this offseason, general manager Mike Mayock said the defense was lacking playmakers on all three levels, but they certainly added one with Yannick Ngakoue coming off the edge.
The 2021 NFL Draft class has some exciting safeties that can be had in the second round, including Richie Grant, Andre Cisco, and Jevon Holland to name a few. Cornerback has some first-round talent that could fall to the Raiders, including Caleb Farley, but a safer bet would be possibly trading down and selecting players like Greg Newsome II or even Eric Stokes early in round two.
Obviously, right tackle is an issue for the Raiders, and if they can get a Rashawn Slater or Christian Darrisaw with that No. 17 overall pick, it is going to be hard to pass them up. However, the secondary is a major issue right now, and if they do not add a cornerback or safety in the first round, you can expect multiple picks on Day 2 to clear up the issues at those two position groups.