The Raiders have a ton of youth at the cornerback position heading into the 2023 season. Nate Hobbs is their top cornerback and he is going into Year 3 of his career. They have a few other veterans in the unit (Duke Shelly, David Long Jr.) but they aren’t guaranteed to make the roster.
They could really use one proven veteran to the group that can play on the outside, allowing Hobbs to play in the slot. Fortunately for the Raiders, there appears to be a perfect fit still on the free-agent market.
In a recent article by Field Yates of ESPN, he wrote about the one move every team should make ahead of the 2023 season. For the Raiders, that move is signing veteran cornerback Marcus Peters. Here is why Yates believes that fit would make sense for both sides:
When you look at the Raiders’ cornerback depth chart, it suggests that they subscribe to the theory that it’s easier to cover up a thin secondary with an excellent pass rush than the inverse. I agree but also think they need more playmaking at cornerback — and Peters is an ideal candidate.
He has already visited the team, and while not the same player he was just a few years back, he’s still an opportunistic ball hawk who can bring an infectious confidence to any team. He broke up six passes last season with Baltimore after missing 2021 with a torn ACL.
The Raiders are very optimistic about their young cornerbacks including Tyler Hall and Jakorian Bennett. But the goal is to allow them to slowly develop rather than being pushed out on the field right away. Signing someone like Marcus Peters would allow that to happen.
