Raiders secondary could determine their fate in 2020

The Las Vegas Raiders might finally have a respectable secondary.

For all of the positive things Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have done during their rehabilitation of the Las Vegas Raiders, they have yet top hit .500 in a season, largely due to a secondary that scares almost no one. After adding more starters in the draft and free agency, the Vegas front office is looking forward to seeing who emerges out of this improved unit.

Mayock claims that he is excited to see if all the pieces he’s added to this Raider secondary finally start to gel in 2020.

“I’m anxious, Mayock said via The Athletic. “We’ve got some good young talent and I am anxious to see who competes.”

The Las Vegas Raiders’ secondary is led by Lamarcus Joyner and a few young studs.

The Raiders have a good mix of battle-scarred veterans and enticing young additions. Lamarcus Joyner remains one of the better defensive backs in the league, while new signings like cornerback Prince Amukamara and safety Damarious Randall should give the Raiders’ back end a more professional look.

The Raiders saw 2019 second-rounder Trayvon Mullen emerge as a solid starter, while first-round safety Johnathan Abram might be on track to break out after missing most of his rookie season.

Vegas added two more potential starters at corner in the 2020 draft, selecting Ohio State’s Damon Arnette in the first round and Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson in the fourth. While Arnette deservedly got more of the hype, Robertson might be one of the best Day 3 steals at any position given how feisty he is in pass coverage.

The Raiders already have a promising young pass rush led by Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby, but this team is going nowhere fast until this secondary is fixed up. If everyone in that unit plays up to their potential in 2020, the Raiders could be a surprise candidate to sneak into the postseason.