Raiders Free Agency: S Marcus Epps

Few players in the National Football League go from being drafted in the sixth round to being critical players on multiple teams and appearing in a Super Bowl. However, that was the case for Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps.

The Minnesota Vikings drafted the veteran safety in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He would play his rookie season in Minnesota before joining the Eagles after the Vikings waived him shortly after the beginning of his rookie season.

Epps saw the field increasingly more during his time with the Eagles. He registered nearly 200 tackles in his final three seasons with the Eagles, with his season total increasing every season until he left to join the Raiders in free agency.

The veteran safety had the best season of his career in the 2022-23 season, registering nearly 100 tackles. He was not a full-time starter for the Eagles until that season, but he was a vital part of the 2022-23 Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl.

Following that season, Epps signed a two-year deal with the Raiders to play a similar role with the Silver and Black. While not the most vocal player on the defense, Epps undoubtedly added a veteran presence to the unit and was a solid contributor for a Raiders defense that played decently in his first season with the Raiders.

While Epps had a solid first season with the Raiders, he struggled during the first few games before tearing his ACL and missing nearly all of this season. Epps struggled against the run at times this season and is coming off a significant injury. The Raiders will likely focus on retaining safety Tre'von Moehrig, which may cost them, as Moehrig is coming off the best season of his career.