Free agency hasn’t started yet but already teams are lining players up to fill holes on their roster and on Wednesday afternoon the Oakland Raiders came into the fold.
Via the ever-reliable Ian Rapoport, news came in that Vontae Davis (29) is visiting the Raiders after meeting with the San Francisco 49ers.
The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback who was previously with the Colts and Dolphins was released after an injury-plagued campaign, he looks set for a new challenge.
But how does he fit in with the Raiders?
First and foremost, the Raiders secondary is currently depleted with the recently-dismissed David Amerson heading to the rival Chiefs and question marks over several other players, including Sean Smith and TJ Carrie, adding a veteran with proven ability can only help to revitalize the team.
A groin injury kept Davis out for the first three weeks of the regular season, then a recurrence of the same injury forced him to sit on the sidelines for the rest of the season until November when he was required to have season-ending surgery to rectify his ongoing groin problems.
After surgery, Davis was released by the Colts as they failed to trade him in the summer with no suitors coming forward to sign the veteran playmaker.
Speaking to reporters, one of which was Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, Davis had this to say about being dropped versus the Texans.
“I’ve been here six years,” Davis told reporters. “We’ve had similar situations where I played hurt. These things happen. And I never got confronted and (no one) said, ‘your play has slipped.’ Nothing. I was playing at a level that was acceptable.
“But now, my play slips and this? They should have come to me way earlier and said, ‘Vontae, you’re not yourself. You’re not playing well.’ I told the trainers my groin was not responding,” via Bleacher Report.
If Davis can prove he’s healthy then he could be a valuable asset for a reasonable price in free agency.
- 120 Games
- 356 Solo Tackles, 2 Sacks
- 22 Interceptions