Veteran cornerback Marcus Peters is now on the market
In a move that wasn’t much of a surprise, the Raiders announced the release of their most decorated defensive back.
Following a low-effort tackle from Peters in their latest loss against the Chiefs, Head Coach Antonio Pierce engaged him in a conversation that led to his benching for the rest of the game.
He was cut the next morning.
Although Peters can have his hothead moments, he’s still a valuable asset to a contending team in need of either a starting cornerback or more depth. Peters’ resume speaks for itself — three Pro Bowls, twice named an All-Pro, yet he’s been on five different teams for all the wrong reasons since he was selected in the first round by Kansas City in 2015.
Although he can present a locker room risk, some teams may view the reward as high enough to take a chance on him.
1. San Francisco 49ers
It was reported before the trade deadline that the 49ers were close to a deal with the Chicago Bears to trade for their No. 1 cornerback, Jaylon Johnson. That deal fell through but that shouldn’t stop John Lynch and the 49ers’ front office from upgrading at that position. Their current No. 1 corner, Charvarius Ward, has been solid all around, but their No. 2 corner, Deommodore Lenoir, has been pretty inconsistent. Both guys have seen their fair share of injuries, and with how aggressive San Francisco plays on defense, some of those are bound to happen.
Adding Peters to the roster would give them solid veteran depth, which they sorely lack. Currently, their backup outside corner is Isaiah Oliver, who has failed to reach a coverage grade of 65 in the last seven weeks, according to PFF.
For a team looking to make a deep playoff run, Marcus Peters could be a good fit.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
While not widely talked about, the Jacksonville Jaguars have gone 7-1 in their last eight games. One of their only defensive weaknesses has been at cornerback. Coming into the season, Jacksonville had a pretty good duo in Darious Williams and Tyson Campbell, but the ladder has spent the last month healing from a hamstring injury.
With how long it can take players to get back from hamstring ailments, signing an above-average backup could bring massive value. Currently starting in the No. 2 cornerback spot for Jacksonville is rookie Montaric Brown, who has shown a few flashes but is not close to the level of Marcus Peters.Signing Peters for Tyson Campbell insurance could go a long way come playoff time. With how good AFC quarterbacks play in the playoffs, Jacksonville should prioritize upgrading the cornerback position while they still can.
With their depth also lacking, Peters could solve a big problem for the Jaguars.
3. Indianapolis Colts
12 Weeks into the season, the Colts sit at 6-5 and 2nd in the AFC South, good enough for the 7th and final playoff seed in the conference. If Indianapolis is serious about making this a playoff team, they should take a long and hard look at the veteran Marcus Peters.
Rookie JuJu Brents has shown plenty of potential as a possible starting cornerback in the league but has dealt with the injury bug for the past few weeks. Behind him are Jaylon Jones and Kenny Moore II. Jones is a young, inexperienced corner who in no way should be guarding opposing No. 1 receivers every week. Moore II is a great slot corner but doesn’t cover outside guys.
If Indianapolis were to sign Peters, he’d automatically become their top corner. If they do end up edging into the playoffs, teams will expose their lack of talent at that position, and it could be an embarrassing first-round exit.