Gus Bradley is the new defense coordinator for the Raiders. He takes the job after holding the same position with the Chargers for the past four seasons. The first hiring he made was that of his defensive back coach, Ron Milus. And if they want to get some of their starters out of secondary together, they have their choice.
Today, the Chargers cut Casey Hayward, who has been a starting cornerback for the Chargers for the past four seasons. The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback would make $ 11.75 million with $ 2.5 million in dead money this season, so he became a main victim of the rebuilding Chargers.
The 31-year-old will be the last of several cornerbacks who started for the Chargers last season to enter the free agent market.
Desmond King II and Michael Davis were already ready to hit the market next week when free agency opens. They were with the Chargers all three four seasons that Bradley was the DC. And all three were starters to start last season. King was traded to the Titans mid-season.
All three cornerbacks bring talent to the table. King is a slot corner that the Raiders now need after releasing Lamarcus Joyner. Davis has started 35 games in the past three seasons and could be an inexpensive option as competition and depth on the outside.
Hayward is the most accomplished of the three, making two Pro Bowls and starting nearly every game in the past five seasons with the Chargers, earning more than $ 10 million each of the past two seasons. he signed a three-year extension prior to the 2019 season.
The Chargers have had a top ten defense every season in which these three were the main starters. It’s easy to see why Bradley and Milus would welcome one of them to join them in Las Vegas.