Raiders

Raiders DC Gus Bradley Getting Free Safety Is Key To Success in 2021

While the Las Vegas Raiders addressed most of their defense this free agency period, one position remains untouched.

Hiring Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator could end up being the Raiders’ most important move of the offseason. His track record’s solid and certainly inspires more confidence than Paul Guenther ever did. To aid Bradley’s quest in uplifting his defensive unit, the team moved quickly these past few weeks though they have yet to sign a free safety.

Picking up Yannick Ngakoue and bringing back Nicholas Morrow were big moves but the defensive backfield is another question. The Raiders cut ties with Lamarcus Joyner and Erik Harris, this leaves the team rather bare at safety.

So what do the Raiders do now at free safety?

Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently brought up his concerns on the position. There are still some free agent options as he points out, Malik Hooker and Tre Boston to just name a couple. However, none of those players are long-term answers.

“The best free-agent options have gone elsewhere, so it’s not the worst thing to wait. Free safety isn’t as valued a position as others across the NFL market.

The organization could also draft one but this draft class isn’t exactly loaded at safety this year. Drafting one at number 17 would be a reach, even more so when the Raiders need a right tackle.

Another possibility is that the team simply puts a hand aid on this situation, at least for this year. Jeff Heath isn’t an All-Pro but he wasn’t bad either. It’s plausible that Heath and Johnathan Abram are the safeties next season. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how this situation develops with the NFL draft inching closer.

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*Top Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

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2 thoughts on “Raiders DC Gus Bradley Getting Free Safety Is Key To Success in 2021”

  1. There are some good safeties available in the draft in the second or third round. Maybe not “can’t miss” prospects, but our current starter appears to be a “can’t miss” prospect who was a complete whiff. Heath actually played very well last year, and is completely serviceable. But Abram was the worst graded safety in the league and if he stinks it up again this year the Raiders have nowhere else to go, not to mention no depth in case of injury.

  2. Why even draft a safety in the first round when Jevon Hooland is expected to be taken in the 2-3 round? He’s the best cover safety in the draft.

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