Oakland Raiders: Jon Gruden’s offseason hits and misses
Hit: Signing CB Rashaan Melvin
Cornerback Rashaan Melvin has one notable season in four years as a pro. Nonetheless, he popped as a potential starter during the previous term and accepted a one-year, prove-it deal.
The acquisition allows the Raiders to sample Melvin as he attempts to replicate his 2017 performance in a full season. The 28-year old isn’t short on confidence.
Last year, he asked to cover Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown and fared well, per Pro Football Focus analyst Jeff Ratcliffe:
Rashaan Melvin shadowed Antonio Brown on 88% of his routes. Brown had 2 catches on 4 targets for 42 yards in Melvin's coverage.
— Jeff Ratcliffe (@JeffRatcliffe) November 13, 2017
Melvin also held wideout DeAndre Hopkins to one catch for 10 yards, per Pro Football Focus, but it’s worth noting Tom Savage took over as quarterback for Deshaun Watson on that contest.
The Colts wanted to re-sign Melvin as one of the brighter spots in their secondary, but he chose to join the Silver and Black. He’s already fully embraced the spotlight:
https://twitter.com/Rmelvin30/status/981623405970673665
The Raiders need a confident cornerback who plays with a chip on his shoulder after the team cut David Amerson, Sean Smith and allowed T.J. Carrie to walk. Gruden will certainly look to draft more talent at the position to help Guenther.
Mentally, Melvin comes off as a player who can defend the opposition’s best receiver. If he can stay healthy in a contract year, the Raiders may have found their complement to Gareon Conley who’s still in his early growth stages.