Getty Marcus Peters, ex-Raiders cornerback
On Monday, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce noted that it was not easy to tell Marcus Peters, a three-time Pro Bowler and nine-year veteran, that the team was letting him go. But not long after the deed was done, speculation already swirled about where Peters would land now that he is a free agent.
Among the teams was a handful of NFL Super Bowl contenders, an eye-opening reminder that, despite his frustrating and lackadaisical play for the Raiders, Peters still has a commendable reputation around the league.
CBS Sports compiled a list of five potential Peters landing spots, and notable about the list is that four of the teams—the Dolphins, Lions, Seahawks and 49ers—are among the Top 10 contenders for the Super Bowl, according to Fan Duel.
Here’s what Bryan DeArdo at CBS wrote of Marcus Peters: “The 30-year-old Peters was one of the league’s best cornerbacks during his first five seasons in the league (2015-19). Over that span, Peters was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He led the NFL as a rookie in interceptions (eight) and interception return yards (280). Peters led the NFL in interception return yardage again in 2017 and in 2019. …
“He is surely hoping to make a similar impact on his next stop.”
Raiders’ Jakorian Bennett, Jack Jones to Get Chance
One of the offshoots of the release of Marcus Peters will be the chance for the Raiders to have a better look at the young corners on the roster, particularly rookie Jakorian Bennett and newly signed ex-Patriot Jack Jones, a talented cover man whose career has been marred by off-field incidents.
Bennett was a fourth-round pick this year, with 4.30 speed in the 40-yard dash, but has struggled in coverage and currently ranked 119th out of 120 cornerbacks with a Pro Football Focus grade of 36.4. Bennett played five snaps in Miami in Week 11, and did not play in Week 12. One of the ironies, of course, is that the Raiders wanted Marcus Peters to mentor Bennett.
Jones had, arguably, his best game of the year with Peters benched for much of the Week 12 outing against the Chiefs. He played 40 total snaps and was given a grade of 61.1.
Antonio Pierce: Difficult to Cut Marcus Peters
While the concerns from his season with the Raiders remain, a piece like Marcus Peters on a contending roster makes sense. As much as there was frustration with Peters and the consistency of his performance with the Raiders this year, coach Antonio Pierce said that letting him walk was not easy.
That speaks well for him in terms of finding another team for the stretch run and into the playoffs.
“Yeah, it’s always difficult when you have to release a player,” Pierce said in his weekly news conference Monday. “That conversation, I don’t look forward to. Hate it. Hate it. It’s not good. It’s not a good feeling.
“Me and MP had some good conversations throughout this entire process. I was the linebacker coach when he first got here. On and off the field, [he’s] somebody I respect as a person. I respect what he’s done in this game. He’s professional, but it’s a business. We’re all going to get cut. We’re all going to get fired. Get hired to get fired, right? So, he understands that; I understand that. It’s part of business that we all hate for ourselves.”
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