The Las Vegas Raiders have been carried by their defense in recent seasons.
They have not carried the team very far, but defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has kept the team competitive the last few years despite below-average quarterback play and a poor rushing attack. That is why the new head coach and general manager tandem of Pete Carroll and John Spytek chose to retain Graham this offseason, in hopes that he could continue building the defense.
One critical aspect of this would be re-signing a number of the team's 26 players who are set to become free agents this offseason. Among those players are Robert Spillane, Nate Hobbs, Malcolm Koonce, Tre'Von Moehrig and Adam Butler.
But if the team is unable to keep all of their talented players, especially in the secondary, they might be interested in a Super Bowl-winning veteran cornerback who became available on Monday.
Raiders could sign CB Darius Slay this offseason
Slay has spent the last five seasons with the Eagles after he played seven years for the Lions to begin his career. He is a six-time Pro Bowler, was a First-Team All-Pro in 2017, and won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last month.
He is far from the player that he was in the late 2010s, but Slay could still provide some solid play on the outside if the team wants an upgrade or decides to move on from Jack Jones. The cornerback room is devoid of a successful veteran player and has been hit with several injuries in recent seasons.
In 2024, Slay had 49 tackles and 13 passes defended, as well as an interception and five passes defended in the postseason. He only allowed a 54.7% completion percentage when targeted, his lowest mark since 2018, and he only gave up two touchdowns all year. Opposing quarterbacks had a rating of 81.9 when targeting Slay last season.
While Slay has said this offseason that he would only consider returning to the Lions if he entered free agency, the Raiders could make a case for the aging veteran in what may be a thin cornerback room in Las Vegas.
Jakorian Bennett is showing signs of being a star in this league, but his injuries have held him back from being available. Nate Hobbs is a free agent, and Jack Jones' high-risk, high-reward play style may not resonate with the Raiders' new regime.
Slay could provide help for Las Vegas in 2024 if things go south for the team in free agency. He is far from the best corner available this offseason, but at the right price point, he could be a valuable asset to Graham's defense.