The Raiders continue to spend money revamping their defense. Las Vegas has agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Eli Apple, Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune tweets.
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have been handing out big contracts left and right to defenders, already signing defensive end Carl Nassib, linebacker Cory Littleton, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and safety Jeff Heath. We also heard that the Raiders offered more money for corner Byron Jones than the Dolphins did before Miami signed him to his record-breaking contract, so they’ve certainly been bold.
The Raiders have been low on talent on that side of the ball during Gruden’s first two years back coaching the team, but this flurry of activity is still wild. They’ve now essentially added a player at every defensive position, and Paul Guenther’s unit is going to look entirely different when they take the field at their new stadium for the first time.
Apple was drafted tenth overall by the Giants back in 2016, and things didn’t go smoothly in New York. Although he flashed talent his tenure there was strained from the start, and he frequently clashed with teammates and coaches over a perceived lack of effort on his end. Eventually he was traded to the Saints for fourth and seventh-round picks midway through the 2018 campaign.
The change of scenery seemed to do him some good, and he developed into a somewhat consistent starter opposite Marshon Lattimore in New Orleans. Apple was only 20 when he was drafted and is still only 24, so he should have more room to grow. He’ll now be a key piece of a very young and intriguing Raiders secondary that includes last year’s early picks Trayvon Mullen and Johnathan Abram.
This is great! Was worried we would spend big on declining Chris Harris. Apple is young and lots of untapped talent. I really like this pick up. Keep up the great offseason Gruden and Mayock!
I live in nyc. He’s terrible
As a saints fan he isn’t very good to be honest, constant lapses in coverage.
He’s bad.
Check in with us mid season and see whether you think he’s still got lots of “untapped talent”!
I”m a Giants fan and this guy not only stunk but was a consistent malcontent in the locker room.
Really wondering what Ortenberg meant by “somewhat consistent starter”? Is that a new metric that converts a player into fools gold?
You’re excited for Apple over Harris?
The kid stinks first Giants got rid of him than Saints no upside .
One period in that sentence and it wasn’t even in the right spot. Lol
LOL
Apple was horrible on the Giants so not sign someone else this early in the free agency period
He was good all year for the saints until Lattimore got hurt and he was asked to cover oppositions top receivers. He’s a good number 2 CB, not a number 1. And he does quite well at that. Mullen will be our number one most likely.
Good luck…..this #2 not #1 stuff……last time anyone checked, every team has “top receivers” so if he doesn’t excel at covering the oppositions top receivers, exactly who can he cover….the oppositions bad receivers?
The guy was a #1 choice and just isn’t that good…..take it from commenters that follow the Giants and watched and heard about him for way too long.