The Oakland Raiders killed two birds with one stone by acquiring Sean Smith, strengthening their secondary and weakening a division rival in the Kansas City Chiefs.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Sean Smith:
The #Raiders and CB Sean Smith agreed to a 4-year deal worth $40M, source said, with $20M guaranteed
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2016
Once again, the Raiders front office makes a smart and economically sound pick on the market.
The organization didn’t go above and beyond to sign Smith at a position of need, which speaks to general manager Reggie McKenzie’s shrewd deals over the past two seasons. The Raiders still hold $34.9 million for player salaries, enough to offer favorable contracts to other impact free agents.
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The move to acquire Smith at an average $10 million per year translates appropriately for his role within the Raiders secondary. He’s turning 29 in July and pairs with cornerback David Amerson to challenge receivers early in their routes and cover the field with length.
Many Raiders fans saw Amerson as a physically imposing presence on the back end. Wait until they set eyes on Smith’s 6’3”, 218-pound stature roaming the secondary. He’s not high on interceptions but finds way to bat down passes with good spacing and placement. Smith has recorded at least 12 passes defensed over the past four seasons.
The transaction allows defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. some flexibility with defensive back T.J. Carrie, who could play in nickel packages as a third cornerback or start at strong safety. Until the Raiders execute all their free agent moves and draft prospects, Carrie’s role remains undefined. Earlier in the offseason, he expressed an open mind to either role going forward, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair.
Ultimately, it’s good to have options with injuries playing a factor in every season. In 2015, safety Nate Allen’s extended absence pushed Carrie into the strong safety role.
In acquiring Smith, the Raiders don’t need to draft a cornerback in the first round. If Carrie moves to safety, the coaching staff could still use cornerbacks D.J. Hayden and Neiko Thorpe in the slot.
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Raiders fans will roll their eyes at the thought of Hayden on the field, but he showed slight improvement when playing off coverage in the slot. Thorpe, who signed a second-round tender, per USA Today Sports NFL writer Tom Pelissero, lists as a big cornerback (6’1″, 200 pounds), which underscores a general theme of Norton’s defensive backs.
The Raiders haven’t locked up a No. 2 running back, and the free-agent pool at the position ran dry very early in the open-market frenzy. Initially, selecting a running back at the top of the draft seemed unreasonable.
At this point, it’s time to start thinking about selecting the best player available and that prospect could be Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot at No. 14 overall. He’d immediately add steam to the Raiders No. 28 rushing offense, averaging a paltry 91 yards per game.
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