Las Vegas Raiders: Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock did their job revamping the defense

Raiders: Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock did their job revamping the defense

Secondary

Finally, the secondary, an area of the defense that has been a real problem for years, and will be counting on some new faces to get the job done in 2021. Las Vegas tried to bolster the safety spot with a veteran in Karl Joseph, but that move did not work out, and they will instead roll with some new faces, and young ones at that at the safety position.

Rookie draft pick Tre’Von Moehrig will start alongside Johnathan Abram, and the unit will be backed up by Roderic Teamer, a free agent signing, and Tyree Gillespie, a 2021 draft pick as well who looked great in the preseason. If they play well, which they should under a secondary genius in Bradley, the Silver and Black are set at safety for a very long time.

Then there is the cornerback room, where Casey Hayward was brought in to be a veteran presence, and 2021 fifth-round pick Nate Hobbs has looked outstanding, earning a starting role. Those two faces join Trayvon Mullen and Damon Arnette, two returning young players who were leaned on heavily last season, as the secondary as a whole is very young, and could be very talented when all is said and done.

Las Vegas Raiders and Gerald McCoy are a perfect match in 2021

The Las Vegas Raiders took a chance on Gerald McCoy this offseason, and he and the team could be a perfect fit for the 2021 NFL season.

Sure, there are still questions, and this thing is not going to get better overnight, but you have to be more excited about that side of the ball than you were a year ago if you are a Raiders fan. They have put the talent in place for the defense to take a big step forward in 2021, and now they just have to go out and make it happen on the field.