Getty New England Patriots DB J.C. Jackson.
With the Las Vegas Raiders undergoing big changes to the coaching staff, it’s likely that the roster faces big changes, as well. Players like Maxx Crosby, Derek Carr, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller are all pieces to build around but there are a lot of players who are now expendable. The biggest changes could come on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is now with the Indianapolis Colts and Patrick Graham will be running the Raiders defense.
Bradley brought a lot of his former players over to Las Vegas last season so it’s possible that some of them leave. Casey Hayward was the team’s best cornerback this season and one of the best in the NFL. He’ll be a free agent this offseason and there’s a strong possibility that he doesn’t return. If he leaves, cornerback would be the biggest need on the entire roster for the Raiders.
Luckily, there’s one player who would be a perfect fit. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report is predicting that New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback J.C. Jackson will sign with the Raiders this offseason as his current team can’t afford to pay him:
He can go find his money elsewhere while staying in a similar system if he were to go to Las Vegas. Further, newly hired head coach Josh McDaniels already pulled former Pats assistant and Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham with him.
The Raiders’ defensive philosophy and scheme are likely to look similar to the one Jackson flourished in in New England, and they have around $14 million more to spend than the Pats.
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Dave Ziegler Could Be Big Spender
Landing a big fish like Jackson in free agency would certainly be a statement from new general manager Dave Ziegler. In the past, the Patriots have been willing to avoid spending big in free agency but that’s not Ziegler’s style. Last offseason, he played a big role in why the Patriots were one of the most active teams in free agency. It’s possible that he’ll take the same approach with the Raiders.
According to Spotrac, Las Vegas is projected to have over $40 million in salary-cap space. That will give Ziegler a good chunk of money to play with.
Projected 2022 #NFL Cap Space
Full Tracker: t.co/l1tq86sTj0
Jackson Is One of NFL’s Best CBs
If the Raiders want Jackson, it’s going to cost. Pro Football Focus predicts that he’ll get a four-year contract worth $72 million this offseason. That would make him among the five highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. He’d certainly be worth the steep price tag.
Jackson leads the NFL with 17 interceptions over the last two seasons combined. He’s also great in coverage as PFF has given him the fifth-best coverage game in all of football this season. The Raiders have tried addressing their cornerback issue in the draft for years. They’ve used first-round picks on players like D.J. Hayden, Gareon Conley and Damon Arnette. All three players ended up being busts. Perhaps it’s time to swing big and spend some money on an elite cornerback. Jackson is a perfect fit as he already knows the type of system that the team is going to run.
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