NFL 2021 free agency: Raiders have choices at safety

It’s highly possible that the Las Vegas Raiders will now turn their attention in free agency to the secondary.

After working on the defensive line, the offensive line and receiver in the early stages, gaps on the back end of the defense still have to be filled. Primarily, the Raiders need to pair a safety with Johnathan Abram.

They are in luck. The market has been fairly slow.

After big-ticket safety John Johnson departed the Los Angeles Rams for the Cleveland Browns in the opening hours of the legal tampering period Monday, things haven’t picked up. And that can help the Raiders.

The best available safety is the Minnesota Vikings’ Anthony Harris so don’t be surprised if the Raiders make a big run at him. He would be a great fit for new Las Vegas defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s system as a free safety and he’d pair well with Abram, who badly needs some veteran guidance on the field.

The issue may be money. The Raiders have been spending a lot and their salary-cap room is dwindling. But the fact that Harris is still on the market means he isn’t getting what he anticipated.

So perhaps the two sides can agree on a short-term deal.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

If Harris doesn’t work out, other safety possibilities include Keanu Neal, Malik Hooker. Xavier Woods, Ricardo Allen and Jaquiski Tartt. But I believe Harris would be the best fit.