Las Vegas Raiders that must realize their potential in 2022
By Alex Perl
Las Vegas Raiders that must realize their potential in 2022
Rock Ya-Sin
The Raiders finally got their man in cornerback Rock Ya-Sin this offseason.
Sin had been mocked in many drafts in 2019 to fall to the Raiders, and the consensus throughout the franchise was that the Raiders were definitely interested in bringing in the former Temple product.
However, the dominoes did not fall for the Raiders, and throughout the three invested first-round selections for the Raiders that year, a cornerback did not seem to be the most pressing as the Raiders invested in a defensive end, running back, and safety instead.
The 2022 offseason was a wild one to say the least, and possibly the most bizarre and active one ever. The Raiders surely got involved in the madness by trading away their leader in sacks in 2021 in Yannick Ngakoue for Sin and replacing Ngakoue with former All-Pro, Chandler Jones.
The move for Jones completely caught everyone off guard, especially considering the tandem of Maxx Crosby and Ngakoue were a stellar one-two combo in 2021. The pair combined 18 sacks and were a weekly terror for opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks.
Despite the shocking move, one could say the Raiders did actually improve their fortunes at defensive end. Signing free agent Chandler Jones is a home-run move, and although the former All-Pro is now 32 years of age, he is still one of the best defensive ends in the game. His 10.5 sacks last season showed that the talent is still there, so the replacement might just be better than his predecessor.
Sin had his best season as a pro in 2021, displaying elite coverage skills while being a very disruptive force in the Indianapolis Colts secondary. The cornerback position is one of intrigue this season, as the Raiders are hoping to return a healthy stalwart in Trayvon Mullen. The cornerback only appeared in five games in 2021. The hope is that with offseason surgery, Mullen can provide a solid one-two combo with Sin and form a dynamic and youthful change at the cornerback position.
The top outside cornerback last season for the Raiders was Casey Hayward. Hayward approaching 33 this season, was definitely not going to be in the Raiders’ plans no matter how successful his 2021 season was, and this is why he was allowed to leave in free agency. The franchise has made it a huge emphasis to get younger in the secondary position, and this is indeed why the trade for Sin was made.
At 26 years old, Sin is entering his prime, and will look to factor heavily in the Raiders’ plans. With the departure of Hayward and possibly a slow to return to form corner in Mullen, Sin will be looked upon hugely to be the top dog in the room for the Raiders.
If Sin can improve on his stellar 2021 season, the Ngakoue trade could be seen as one of the most successful in recent memory. Or at least this is the hope the Raiders have placed high on the young corner.