Las Vegas Raiders: Cornerback is still a question mark in 2022
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders have bolstered the roster in numerous positions this offseason, but the cornerback spot remains a question mark.
There is no doubt that the Las Vegas Raiders roster has more talent on it right now than it did at the same time a year ago. They have elite players on both sides of the ball, including some that could be first-team All-Pro this upcoming season.
However, despite general manager David Ziegler doing a fantastic job of bringing in talent this offseason, cornerback still remains a question mark. Now, he has not avoided the position, trading for Rock Ya-Sin, who should start immediately in Las Vegas, but that does not mean that questions do not still exist.
Las Vegas still does not really know what they are getting from Trayvon Mullen on a week-to-week basis, and being a starter, that is concerning. Remember, the AFC West is loaded with quarterback talent, so any deficiencies at this most important position group could be exploited every week.
Raiders have young talent at the position group
Staying with the positive side, Nate Hobbs emerged as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL last year as a rookie, proving to be another Day 3 steal for former general manager Mike Mayock. Ya-Sin is a proven player at the NFL level, and when healthy, Mullen has the potential to be a CB1 in this league.
However, based on production, Ya-Sin and Hobbs are the only players with a big enough sample size to give Raider Nation some hope in 2022. Sure, Mullen could end up being a Pro Bowl player, but he needs to not only stay healthy, but consistent.
Las Vegas added some quality depth cornerbacks this offseason as well, with Anthony Averett and Darius Phillips looking to push some of the starters for playing time. However, as soon as James Bradberry became available on Monday, he became an instant target for the Raiders, which tells you everything you need to know about the state of the cornerback room right now.