One of the positions the Raiders are expected to target in free agency is cornerback. With Rock Ya-Sin set to hit the market, the Raiders have to find a better complement for Nate Hobbs on the outside.
But will the Raiders look at younger options, such as Cameron Sutton or Jamel Dean? Or could they be interested in an older player as a stop-gap option?
In a recent article by NFL.com and their analytics department, they named 14 players who could prove to be big values in free agency. That list included former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson, who could be of interest to the Raiders. Here is what they had to say about Peterson heading into free agency:
“The three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler may have lost a step or two of his elite speed, but he remains adept at erasing receivers when given the chance. Peterson was targeted on just nine of his 111 man-coverage snaps in 2022 (8.1%). He was the only outside cornerback with at least 100 man-coverage snaps to be targeted at less than a 12 percent rate.
Last season under Ed Donatell, the Vikings played man coverage on just 20.8 percent of dropbacks, the fourth-lowest rate in the league. But Minnesota will likely undergo a complete philosophical makeover under new coordinator Brian Flores, whose defenses have ranked in the top four of man-coverage rate in each of the last five seasons.”
If the Raiders just want someone who can start for a year or two, Peterson would be a fine option. He’s still a fantastic one-on-one corner and would give the Raiders some more size and athleticism on the outside.
Don’t be surprised if Peterson is on their radar as a short-term rental until they can find a better solution elsewhere.
