The Las Vegas Raiders are a few pieces away from becoming a serious playoff threat. After a four-game skid at the end of last season ruined their playoff hopes, it is clear that this young team is hungry for more.
However, it is also clear that the team needs some help on both sides of the ball. Of course, the Raiders know they need to add a true No. 1 wide receiver, and the team has been in need of a great linebacker for quite some time. It seems that the Raiders are also looking to strengthen one more position though.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, cornerback has become a position high on the Raiders’ offseason free agency list:
If one thing has become clear this offseason it’s that the Raiders have identified cornerback as one of their three top needs. While everyone knows that they need a receiver and linebacker (or three) badly, a No. 1 cornerback is also at the top of their shopping list.
After trading cornerback Gareon Conley to the Houston Texans for a third-round draft pick last year, the Raiders relied on four-year player in Daryl Worley and rookie Trayvon Mullen to hold down the position. That duo could certainly be upgraded as the Raiders’ defense gave up the eighth-most passing yards in the NFL in 2019.
While the Raiders could acquire talent through the draft, it appears more than likely that they will look for a talented veteran in free agency. Luckily for them, multiple talented veterans are about to hit free agency.
Las Vegas has expressed interest in acquiring Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. The Broncos recently traded for cornerback A.J. Bouye, signaling that they will let Harris walk.
Another potential cornerback target for the Raiders has been Byron Jones of the Dallas Cowboys. Jones will enter free agency after finishing his rookie contract with Dallas. He made it to the Pro Bowl in 2018 with 14 passes deflected, but in 2019 saw his numbers dip across the board.
Outside of cornerbacks, the Raiders have expressed interest in another Broncos defender, safety Justin Simmons. Although the Raiders have a pretty good crop of players at safety, Simmons has shown some solid strengths. Of course, the Raiders would likely be happy just to have him out of the Broncos hands, but Broncos general manager John Elway has stated he would franchise tag Simmons if no long-term deal can be reached.
