2021 AFC West Cornerbacks: Where do the Las Vegas Raiders rank?
By Nick Bailey
The Raiders cornerbacks have struggled since the days of Nnamdi Asomugha and the great Charles Woodson. Can the new age cornerbacks finally break the curse?
The Las Vegas Raiders have not had a top-tier cornerback since they had Nnamdi Asomugha shutting down half the field, although that is not due to a lack of trying. High draft pick after high draft pick, and free-agent signing after free agent signing have come and gone, and the cornerback position still remains a black hole in that Raiders defense.
Most recently, the Raiders have spent high draft picks on cornerbacks and safeties like D.J. Hayden, Gareon Conley, Obi Melifonwu, and Karl Joseph just to name a few, and only Joseph is still on the team. Over the past few drafts, the Raiders have added Trayvon Mullen in the second round in 2019, and Damon Arnette in the first round in 2020, and while Mullen has been solid, Arnette is still a bit of a Wild Card.
This season, there are still many question marks, as the No. 2 cornerback slot is open opposite Mullen, and we still do not know who the slot cornerback is going to be. The coaching staff has improved, as Gus Bradley is here, and he has had more than enough success working with defensive backs at the next level.
With him as defensive coordinator, and Ron Milus as the secondary coach, Las Vegas has the staff to help this team succeed, but in the landscape of the AFC West, where does the talent rank? Let us examine where the Raiders currently ranked amongst the other AFC West teams when it comes to the cornerback position.