Free agent CB Bashaud Breeland to visit Raiders

Two of the cardinal rules of building a defense are that you can never have enough pass rushers and you can also never have enough quality cornerbacks. To that end, Reggie McKenzie, Jon Gruden and the Raiders will be hosting free-agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland on Sunday and Monday. Breeland also has a scheduled visit with the Chefs on Tuesday.

In March, Breeland signed a big 3-year, $24 million deal with the Carolina Panthers after spending his rookie contract in Washington as an Indigenous Person. But that contract was rendered void when Breeland failed a physical, as detailed here by our own Ryan Lipton.

Unlike many failed physicals, this one had nothing to do with a football injury. Breeland suffered a cut on his foot while on vacation in the Dominican Republic and it became infected. One imagines the sorts of diseases that might be present in the tropical Dominican. In any case, the fact that Breeland is again scheduling free agent visits would imply that he is now able to pass a physical and is ready to participate fully in football activities.

Breeland was on the free agent radar at the beginning of the open signing period, and our Fearless Leader Levi Damien had him listed as the most desirable free agent for the Raiders going into the month of April.

The Raiders have added plenty to their cornerback group during this offseason, including the likes of presumed starter Rashaan Melvin, Leon Hall, Shareece Wright, draft pick Nick Nelson and Daryl Worley. But Breeland would come into that group and immediately be the third-best corner on the team, with the ability to play nickel and as an insurance policy in case Gareon Conley faces any more health issues. With a talent like Breeland on the team, the cornerback unit would become one of the best and most promising parts of the Raiders.

It’s now up to the Raiders’ front office to get this deal done, and for Raider Nation to show the love that has inspired many other free agents to sign with the Silver and Black. If everything goes well, Breeland won’t set foot in Kansas City until Week 17 on December 30.