Rashaan Melvin Reportedly Agrees to 1-Year, $6.5 Million Contract with Raiders

Free-agent cornerback Rashaan Melvin will suit up for the Oakland Raiders in 2018 after the two sides reportedly agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

After going undrafted out of Northern Illinois in 2013, Melvin was originally signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He didn't appear in an NFL game until Week 14 of the 2014 season with the Baltimore Ravens. 

Melvin bounced around to the Ravens and New England Patriots in 2015 before finally finding a home with the Indianapolis Colts two years ago. The 28-year-old appeared in 25 games over the past two seasons, though a hand injury limited him to 10 games in 2017. 

Last season was the most productive of Melvin's career. He led the Colts with 13 passes defensed and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. 

Per Pro Football Focus, through his first seven games of the 2017 season, Melvin was one of the NFL's best cornerbacks at creating turnovers when opposing quarterbacks threw the ball in his direction:

After struggling to find a home early in his career, Melvin was able to carve out a role for himself as a starter in Indianapolis. He parlayed that talent into a deal with the Raiders, who will be counting on him to be a playmaker in the secondary starting next season. 

Melvin went from a practice squad player to starter in two years after making his debut in 2014. He's showed the potential of what he can become over the past two years. The Raiders have every reason to believe his talent will continue to shine in 2018. 

In Oakland, he'll compete with Gareon Conley, Dexter McDonald and Antonio Hamilton for a starting gig and should upgrade a glaring weakness for the Raiders.