To put it simply, cornerback Anthony Averett just had an unfortunate first season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Averett, who was one of the team's most promising defensive acquisitions last off-season, missed four games early on in the season due to a broken thumb, followed by the final six games of the season with a toe injury.
The fifth-year NFL cornerback was anticipated to be a big answer for the Silver and Black's secondary when the team signed him in free agency last March.
Averett had started in all 14 games he appeared in for the Baltimore Ravens the season prior.
He spent four seasons with the Ravens, who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Averett took the field for just 34 defensive snaps before leaving the game with his thumb injury.
When he returned in Week 7 against the Houston Texans, Averett was placed right back in a starting role and saw 65 defensive snaps. He had no stats to show for it, though.
The cornerback then had his best game of the season the following week when he recorded eight combined tackles against the New Orleans Saints. The Raiders, however, were blown out 24-0.
Averett then posted five solo tackles and a pass defensed against the Jacksonville Jaguars the following game.
The first-year Raider would not record another tackle for the rest of the season.
Averett went down with his toe injury early in Las Vegas' Week 12 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks and would not play the rest of the season.
He was never really able to get himself going aside from his two strong mid-season performances, but that is expected when a player misses significant time.
What was clear, however, was that a healthy Averett can be valuable for any secondary in this league.
In total, Averett finished his 2022 campaign with 13 combined tackles and a pass defensed while starting in six out of his seven games.
The 2023 NFL Draft will go from April 27-29 and be held at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. Starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m. EST on March 15.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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