After parting ways with starting cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders have been linked to almost every available cornerback in the NFL. They did draft Darien Porter in the third round of this year's draft, but the fan base still wants a veteran presence.
Jalen Ramsey was the obvious name for Raider Nation to consider, as the seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro was unhappy with his situation in Miami. The Dolphins were reportedly working with him to find a trade partner, and they did exactly that on Monday.
Miami sent Ramsey to an AFC foe, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and surely, a portion of the fan base feels like the Raiders missed out.
Raiders should celebrate as Dolphins trade Jalen Ramsey to Steelers
However, upon further review of the trade details, it becomes increasingly clear that Las Vegas dodged a bullet. The full details of the trade can be seen below:
The Silver and Black would have been forced to give up far too much in order to acquire the aging cornerback. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a top 10 player in the NFL at his position, and those do not grow on trees in Las Vegas.
RELATED: Raiders' Jalen Ramsey rumors come to screeching halt with latest report
Also, the addition of a player like Jonnu Smith would not have helped the Raiders, as they are fully set at the tight end position between Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas. Swapping late-round picks would not have been ideal either, as new general manager John Spytek is clearly focused on building this team through the draft.
There are a handful of other solid veteran cornerbacks available, but the deal for Ramsey was just simply not in the cards for Las Vegas. A free agent like Mike Hilton, who plays more in the slot, or a player like Jamel Dean, a Super Bowl-winning cornerback who is a familiar face for Spytek, would both be better options.
Las Vegas also has several talented young cornerbacks on the roster that head coach Pete Carroll seems set on building into great defensive backs. The addition of a surefire veteran could potentially stunt the growth of the players currently on the roster.
As it stands now, the Raiders are set to start rookie Darien Porter and Eric Stokes on the outside, with Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson filling in as backups. While this may not sound like a lethal duo, it beats investing far too much in a nearly 31-year-old cornerback.