The 2022 offseason continues for the Las Vegas Raiders. With a new defensive game plan, new faces, and a few returning ones, we’ll continue to look back at the players’ 2021 campaigns. Up next is cornerback Trayvon Mullen.
What were the positives for the Raiders’ cornerback?
Mullen came into this season hoping to improve on his performance from the previous year. During the season, in Week 2, Mullen stood up against AFC rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers by intercepting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. As a result, he helped contribute to the Silver and Black emerging victorious. Another game in which he stood out was against the Miami Dolphins the following week. During that contest, Mullen accumulated two pass deflections and five solo tackles.
Statistically speaking, it wasn’t Mullen’s best, but that’s attributed to his health. Battling a toe injury all year long, Mullen only appeared in five games. No doubt, missing this much time must’ve been bittersweet when we look at the fact that his squad made the playoffs.
Let’s take a deep dive at the negatives
Injuries derailed what could have been a career season for Mullen, and with a secondary that included Casey Hayward and newcomers Nate Hobbs and Trevon Moehrig, there’s really no telling how much he could have contributed.
On the field, his aggressive, lockdown style of play was missed. There was one game where it appeared he was hurried off injury reserve. In a game where the team infamously gathered in front of the opponent’s logo, he not only didn’t look like himself throughout that contest, but he also got injured again. When comparing his seasons to the previous ones, there is a significant difference. Even when he was playing, Mullen surrendered an average of eight receiving yards per time he was targeted. He was also allowing an average of 13 yards per reception, all of which were higher than in previous seasons, albeit based on only five games: 229 snaps in all.
Trayvon Mullen, Rock Ya-Sin, Nate Hobbs, and Anthony Averett is a really solid four man CB group. Don’t have a true number 1 corner, but a bunch of solid players https://t.co/j4mhFm3Rbo
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) May 18, 2022
Can Mullen return to form this season?
With the news of his operation catching some by surprise earlier this offseason, it’s still up in the air if he’ll be 100 percent by Week 1; it all depends on how quickly he heals. When those events occur and he steps onto the field, those questions will be answered. The Raiders are hoping they’ll be getting the player that was eighth in pass deflections in the NFL with 14 during the 2020 season.
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*Top Photo: Jeff Haynes/Associated Press