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Heading into the 2021 offseason, the Raiders have to get better at the cornerback position. If nothing else, they need another quality starter in case Damon Arnette isn’t able to take a step in the right direction next season.
While many fans are hoping that Las Vegas goes after Richard Sherman, that doesn’t feel all that likely as he will almost assuredly be out of their price range. Instead, the Raiders will likely focus their attention on cornerbacks a tier lower than Sherman.
One possible option is former Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who is scheduled to hit the free-agent market. With his former defensive coordinator (Rod Marinelli) and special teams coach (Rich Bisacchi) already on the staff, familiarity won’t be an issue.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Awuzie was ranked as the No. 43 overall free agent in the NFL. Here is what the site had to say about the former Colorado Buffalo star”
“After earning a coverage grade that ranks right in the middle of the league’s corners since 2017, Awuzie epitomizes the league-average cornerback. He’s done his best work in zone coverage, ranking in the 61st percentile in PFF grade, but he’s in just the 35th percentile in single coverage. That matches our scouting report of Awuzie coming out of college, where he looked like an excellent fit in a zone scheme, and that’s likely his best bet once again as he hits free agency.”
Awuzie is just 25 years old and already has 42 starts under his belt. Not to mention, he has experience playing in a Cover-3 heavy defense under passing game coordinator Kris Richard in 2017 and 2018.
While he might be “just” a league-average cornerback as Pro Football Focus mentioned, the Raiders could desperately use a reliable option opposite of Trayvon Mullen. And if Arnette happens to make a leap in Year 2, Awuzie also has experience playing safety and slot cornerback, as well.
Awuzie might not be the biggest name on the free-agent market, but he would be a solid addition to a defense that needs more starting-caliber players. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders show interest in Awuzie given his relationship with Marinelli and Bisacchi.
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