A look at an evolving Raiders’ secondary

We all know defense has long been an area of frustration for the Raiders.

Finding talent and stability in the secondary has been an issue for much of the last decade. The Raiders have swung for the fences several times without much luck. They drafted cornerbacks D.J. Hayden (2013) and Gareon Conley (2017) and safeties Karl Joseph (2016) and Johnathan Abram (2019) in the first round. Al but Abram are gone.

The Raiders spent big money on defensive back LaMarcus Joyner in free agency last year. For the most part, his play didn’t live up to his contract in his first year as a Raider.

So, here the Raiders are again, looking for secondary help.

On Thursday, they added defensive back Damarious Randall on a one-year deal. He has played both cornerback and safety in the NFL. He is likely going to play safety for the Raiders.

The Raiders broke off a deal for backup cornerback Eli Apple because of issues with his physical. They danced with the likes of Byron Jones, Chris Harris and Jimmie Ward, among others, in free agency.

They could also still add at cornerback with their limited salary-cap funds and they could easily draft a cornerback in the first round.

So, yes, the Raiders are still looking for magic in the secondary.

There is big hope for Abram and 2019 second-round pick, cornerback Trayvon Mullen, among other young players.

If these players develop well and some of the 2020 additions pan out, perhaps, finally, the Raiders can feel good about their secondary after the 2020 season.