The Las Vegas Raiders need help in the secondary, whether it’s a safety or cornerback, and veteran defender K’Waun Williams would provide a boost.
Cornerback is an interesting position for the Raiders moving forward. There’s a lot of potential there, especially with Trayvon Mullen, but 2020 wasn’t a good look all around. The Silver and Black gave up 4,212 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns. To say that the Raiders’ pass defense needs help is an understatement.
With Gus Bradley now in charge defensively, we can expect to see current players in better positions to succeed. LaMarcus Joyner comes to mind as he struggled mightily within Paul Guenther’s scheme. K’Waun Williams could be an instant starter in the slot, helping Joyner move over to safety and allow Amik Robertson more time to develop. It would be a win-win for the Silver and Black.
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What could Williams bring to the Raiders?
Before we can consider Williams, there’s the issue of money with Las Vegas. Management will have to make some financial decisions regarding their roster if they want to make any major free-agent signings. As far as Williams, Pro Football Focus predicts he’ll sign a two-year deal worth $8 million with $4 million guaranteed. Considering the defensive struggles in defending the pass, this price tag isn’t too steep.
If you consider how effective Williams has been, per Pro Football Reference, he has only allowed four touchdowns these past three years. Last year, opposing quarterbacks stayed away from him and only targeted him 20 times with the San Francisco 49ers. Williams also has a nose for making plays in the secondary, something sorely missing on the Raiders these past few years. He’s notched eight passes defensed these past three years and also forced five fumbles in that stretch.
PFF also points out his coverage skills for the 2020 season, when he was graded at 64.8. Interestingly, they also pointed out his pass-rush grade of 67.4, which is solid. In the last three years, Williams blitzed 72 times, accumulating 15 pressures, three of them being sacks. Even if Bradley won’t be blitzing too much, Williams’ skills in the slot should merit a look.
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