Other than Trayvon Mullen, no other Las Vegas Raiders cornerback showed much promise in 2020. The team could help itself and weaken a divisional foe by signing cornerback Bashaud Breeland.
The Silver and Black surprisingly used one of their coveted first-round picks on Ohio State corner, Damon Arnette last year. The rookie struggled in 2020 battling a rash of injuries, concussions, and even COVID-19. On the other hand, when he did play, his coverage didn’t exactly scream dominance last year.
Nevertheless, Arnette is very talented and will benefit from Gus Bradley’s system assuming he can stay healthy. If the Raiders were to add Breeland, it by no means translates into the team giving up Arnette. In the modern NFL, a good defense needs three cornerbacks, and adding Breeland to the mix would accomplish this.
Raider Nation will have to put aside their fandom and realize that poaching Breeland away from the Kansas City Chiefs would not only solidify the secondary but would weaken the current Super Bowl champions.
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What can Breeland bring to the Raiders?
Las Vegas could possibly draft a cornerback such as Jaycee Horn but the advantage of Breeland is his experience and championship pedigree. Breeland was playing on a one-year deal this year which was worth $1.5 million per Spotrac. There’s no doubt he’ll be looking for a raise and can you blame him? He was an integral part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl squad, forming part of one of the NFL’s top corner duos with L’Jarius Sneed per Pro Football Focus.
Kansas City so far has done a masterful job of retaining key contributors. However, Breeland might be the first one to fall through the cracks. That’s exactly why the Raiders should pounce and make themselves better on defense while weakening an already questionable Chiefs defensive unit.
Breeland allowed a completion percentage of 50 when he was targeted in 11 starts last season. He only surrendered 377 receiving yards and opposing quarterbacks accrued an earnest 78.3 passer rating. 17 passes defensed these past two seasons is far and away better than any Raiders cornerback save for Mullen. Teaming these two defenders would be interesting, to say the least.
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*Top Photo: Associated Press/Wilfredo Lee