Ron Chenoy- USA TODAY Sports
Tracy Porter is exactly what the Oakland Raiders were looking for this offseason.
The cornerback’s claim to fame is his two timely interceptions to help the New Orleans Saints win Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. He has 43 starts in the NFL with eight career interceptions and 38 passes defended. However, the stats are not the reason Oakland so desperately needed Porter this season.
The Raiders’ cornerbacks were atrocious last season, and that’s putting it mildly. The secondary as a whole only picked off 11 passes and Michael Huff was the only defensive back with more than five passes defended. Oakland needed to pick up a quality cornerback and after being passed over by two quality candidates, Porter’s decision to join the Silver and Black is crucial to next season’s success.
Porter’s impact on the field is crucial, but his leadership in the locker room will also be critical to Oakland’s success next season. He has won a title in this league and played on a very successful team last season with the Denver Broncos. He will be one of the few players who have played and been around a successful team and will need to help lead the Raiders to that same level.
Of course, Porter will be useless if teams decide to pick on the other cornerback, but the very fact Oakland has a cornerback opponents are willing to throw away from is impressive enough. The Raiders have focused so much on the front-seven this offseason, it is nice to see Reggie McKenzie was able to find a player to help his secondary. Oakland probably needs to find another corner, but for the moment, Porter is the best signing Oakland has made this offseason.
