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Raiders an obvious potential landing spot for James Bradberry

By Brendan Danaher

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 17: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) James Bradberry #24 of the New York Giants in action against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on October 17, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Giants 38-11. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 17: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) James Bradberry #24 of the New York Giants in action against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on October 17, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Giants 38-11. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The Las Vegas Raiders have made huge additions in the 2022 Off Season however they did not exactly make waves when it came to fixing the secondary. With a new free agent available the Raiders need to make another signing.

The Las Vegas Raiders front office made several splash signings this offseason; outside linebacker Chandler Jones, wide receiver Davante Adams, and re-signed defensive end Maxx Crosby and quarterback Derek Carr to sizeable extensions.

The front office did little to address one of the weaker areas of the team, however; the secondary.

In the 2022 offseason, the Raiders signed Ravens cornerbacks Anthony Averett and Darius Phillips and traded Yannick Ngakoue for Colts cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Not groundbreaking signings but not bad either. Those three additions join four-year starting cornerback Trayvon Mullen and sophomore Nate Hobbs.

The unit in general still appears to be the weakest of the defense, especially with the absence of leader Casey Hayward who is now in Indianapolis but led the Raiders secondary in 2021 in all statistical areas.

In 2021, the Raiders ranked 32nd in interceptions, 30th in takeaways, and most glaring; 32nd for defending against red zone touchdowns. 

New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will likely convert the 4-3 defensive into a 3-4 scheme which places an emphasis on coverage and an additional weight on the secondary’s ability to cover, whether it’s in zone or man coverage with two corners and two safeties on the field (traditionally).

One of DC Graham’s former pupils has suddenly become available and it is time for Graham to make a phone call to this player to help out his new defensive unit; free agent cornerback James Bradberry.

The New York Giants announced on May 9, 2022, that Bradberry was being released after failing to find a trade partner.

While Bradberry was released there should be no confusion; it was purely due to financial issues and had nothing to do with Bradberry’s performance. In 2021 the 28-year-old cornerback was ranked 4th in the league with 17 passes defended, secured four interceptions (15 in his career), and played in all 17 games.

A healthy corner with productive like that would be invaluable to the Raiders.

The Raiders have leaders on both sides of the ball but besides Mullen, the Raiders need a dominant force to lead their secondary, corners, and safeties, into a new stronger defensive era.

James Bradberry is the man for the job and Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler needs to get him on a plane heading for the desert in Vegas immediately.

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