Getty Las Vegas Raiders CB Rock Ya-Sin.
It has been almost a month into free agency and the Las Vegas Raiders still have big needs on defense. The team has added to the cornerback room but it remains a big area of concern. They added David Long Jr., Brandon Facyson and Duke Shelley in free agency but all three are better suited to be depth pieces rather than starters.
It’s possible the Raiders will wait until the draft to find a starting cornerback but there are still options in free agency. Rock Ya-Sin was the team’s best cornerback last season. He appeared to be poised to get a solid payday this offseason but that hasn’t been the case. He remains a free agent and it remains to be seen when he’ll get signed. Perhaps the lack of interest could lead him right back to Las Vegas. David Kenyon of Bleacher Report believes the Raiders would be wise to bring back Ya-Sin.
“Don’t let him walk, Vegas. Even if Ya-Sin is there, the Raiders have a shortage at corner,” Kenyon wrote. “But if he also leaves after one season with the franchise, the team will have a greater void at a position that recent signings Duke Shelley and David Long Jr. alone cannot fix.”
Ya-Sin Was Projected to Get $33 Million Contract
Ya-Sin joined the Raiders last offseason as part of the Yannick Ngakoue trade with the Indianapolis Colts. The former second-round pick quickly became one of the Raiders’ starting cornerbacks and had a solid season. He was the team’s highest-graded cornerback by Pro Football Focus. Prior to free agency, Bleacher Report predicted that Ya-Sin would get a three-year contract worth $33 million.
Getting that much money is off the table now. Ya-Sin is most likely headed for a one-year deal that’s worth less than $10 million. He might be better off waiting until after the draft to sign with a team. If a team like the Raiders comes out of the draft without a top cornerback, they may be more interested in bringing back Ya-Sin. He’s a solid cornerback and is still just 26 years old so he will land with a team at some point. However, it appears he’ll have to wait to get a big payday.
Rock Ya-Sin gon’ Rock Ya-Son
Devon Witherspoon & Christian Gonzalez Named Fits With Raiders
If the Raiders decide not to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance that they will use that pick on a cornerback. Luckily, there are some really good options available to the team. As of now, it appears that Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon are the top two players at the position in the draft. Ian Valentino of Pro Football Network believes that either would be a strong fit in Las Vegas.
“It might not be a shocking statement that the top two corners on the PFN consensus big board are the right fits for the Raiders,” Valentino wrote. “However, it’s not just about talent and whether Gonzalez and Witherspoon are good enough to warrant the picks. Just in terms of raw traits and overall skill, there are at least four cornerbacks who can make the argument to be considered with the Raiders’ first pick.”