In the aftermath of James Bradberry hitting the open market, the identities of teams most interested in signing him is becoming clearer. The Raiders are one of those, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Vegas would be a sensible destination, Bonsignore notes, for a number of reasons. One is the health status of starter Trayvon Mullen, who underwent “minor surgery.” Another, more generally, is the presence of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. He was hired by the Raiders this offseason after holding that same title with the Giants for the past two seasons — overlapping with Bradberry’s time in the Big Apple.
It was with Graham that the 28-year-old earned his lone Pro Bowl appearance in 2020. This past year, he had another strong campaign, totaling 47 tackles, a career-high four interceptions and 17 pass deflections. Given his cap hit of nearly $22M, however, it was deemed inevitable he would be either traded or released this offseason.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen acknowledged Monday that while there was trade interest, inquiring teams couldn’t work out contract terms to consummate a deal. It was reported not long after Bradberry’s release that the Texans were one such team, but that they are unlikely to pursue him in free agency, given their subsequent additions at the position. That could lead the former second-rounder towards the Chiefs, who were likewise reported to be eyeing a trade for him in March.
As Bonsignore cautions, the Raiders may not be able to make Bradberry a competitive offer until next month. The team currently has less than $6M in cap space, though that figure will grow considerably when their post-June 1 cuts come into effect. Interested as they may be, then, Vegas may not, at least immediately, represent the best landing spot for one of the top free agents on the market.
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