(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Oakland Raiders secondary will contribute a great deal to the future success of the defensive squad for the upcoming season this fall. The Raiders have cleared up their missing links from last season. They made these improvements from free agency and the draft to construct a blend of talented players to find the right mix in the backfield.
Cornerbacks: Nnamdi Asomugha, Chris Johnson, Justin Miller, Stanford Routt, John Bowie, Jason Horton
Signing Nnamdi Asomugha to the richest deal ever for a cornerback and locking up his teammate on the other side of the formation, Chris Johnson, has put the Raiders in a good position. Their ability to cover the pass will not be in doubt.
Looking at the rest of the group, Stanford Routt already is making an impact in mini-camp and will be ready for the season once called upon. He has great speed and will continue to make a big impact on special teams this coming season
Justin Miller made for an excellently pleasant surprise in 2008 and will continue to make a big contribution to the team, so there's only one serious question here: After missing all of 2008 on IR, can John Bowie come back? He has the ability to be one of the quickest on the field.
As for Jason Horton, there's not much to say, really; he’s been around the block several times and is familiar with NFL defensive schemes. Recently the Oakland Raiders signed this free agent defensive back; we'll see if he survives the cuts.
Free Safeties: Hiram Eugene, Tyvon Branch
Hiram Eugene stepped in to play for Raider Nation at the position when the Michael-Huff-at-Free-Safety experiment failed, though Tyvon Branch looks to have a very productive upcoming season as well.
Eugene may be Oakland's starting free safety as the season grows closer. In Oakland's scheme, a free safety is given the ability to sit back in the deep middle, leading to few tackle chances.
Branch is a hard-hitting player that is really fun to watch; he will make a larger impact than he did last season. The Raiders know Branch's skills have just begun to develop. His talents as a defensive back are just coming into place in the NFL, and he may make some starts. Branch is also used as a return specialist.
Strong Safeties: Michael Huff, Darrick Brown, Michael Mitchell, Jerome Boyd
Michael Huff is physically gifted, though he still needs a shot to prove his worth to this unit with a new defensive coordinator in place. But he is no enforcer, and the Raiders will need that in 2009.
Raiders second round draft pick Michael Mitchell will compete immediately for a starting job in a defense that will use a two-safety system where they alternate at free and strong. The Raiders experimented with that idea last offseason but abandoned the idea by training camp.
If Mitchell's hitting can translate from a small college to the NFL, the Raiders just got better against the run. Therefore, this may translate into eventually releasing Huff, especially since he's been untradeable because of a bloated contract.
Darrick Brown is penciled in on special teams. He either a versatile guy or simply one without a specialty: Starting on the practice squad last season, Brown is today listed as a defensive back on the Raiders roster, so no one really knows where he will fit and how he will contribute this coming season.
Jerome Boyd, a solid rookie free agent signing from the Oregon Ducks, may make a contribution as well. With the Ducks, Boyd had a total of 82 tackles and three sacks. He has also the ability to make the transition to outside linebacker.
The Raiders will rely on their secondary to set the tone for them on defense this year, but the front seven must get pressure on the quarterback. No secondary can be expected to hold up in coverage for long periods of time, so it’ll be up to the defensive line and linebackers to get a good push off the line.
Still, for the fans of Raider Nation, it will be enjoyable to watch Oakland defend the pass once again with so many talented players in the secondary.
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