Among the notable additions the Las Vegas Raiders made in free agency was the signing of former Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath.
The Raiders put an emphasis on fill the voids on the defensive side of the ball and Heath’s arrival marked the newest member of this revamped secondary. Joining him in the relocation for the 2020 NFL season will be safety Damarious Randall and linebackers Cory Littleton and Mick Kwiatkoski, as well as a number of additions on the defensive line including former Cowboys teammates Maliek Collins and Daniel Ross.
Unfortunately, the restrictions placed by the league in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have largely prevented Heath and the other new arrivals from making it official. It seems all the changes in the free agency process has not gone unnoticed.
Heath admits that while it is a perplexing situation, he is looking forward to getting acquainted with his new teammates and coaches, via the team’s official website:
“It’s a weird feeling, man, but you know, [I’m] just kind of trying to relax and trust that this will all pass. I’m not sure when, but hopefully sooner rather than later, so we can get to work, I can meet my new teammates, meet the new coaches, and kind of get a feel for that area, everything,” Heath said. “It’s a big change, but I’m just taking it day by day and just waiting for the ‘okay’ to get out there.”
Heath added that the sense of familiarity with the coaching staff and their connection to Dallas helped played a part in his decision:
“It felt right, I have a lot of familiarity with some of the coaches there,” he shared. “Coach Bisaccia was in Dallas with me for my first five years and Coach Marinelli was there too, and I’ve been with him the whole time I was in Dallas. I just got a really good feeling talking to Coach Gruden and Mr. Mayock, obviously Coach Rich and Coach Marinelli, all those guys. A lot of familiarity, it’s going to be fun being a part of something new being the first year in [Las] Vegas, so it all kind of went into that decision.”
Heath was able to make a name for himself with one notable franchise in the Cowboys. He will now have an opportunity to help usher in a new era at Allegiant Stadium for another high-profile team in the Raiders.
Heath is expected to serve as a stabilizing factor for a talented, young secondary in Las Vegas. It will be imperative that he starts to build a rapport with fellow safety Johnathan Abram and cornerback Trayvon Mullen as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Heath’s relationship with assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli should help smoothen the transition. Despite all the changes, expectations remain as high as ever for the Raiders heading into the 2020 campaign.
