The Oakland Raiders made the move to trade away Gareon Conley for two different reasons. The first being that Conley’s play had dropped, and they felt like a third-round pick was a good value for him. But more importantly, Oakland was excited about its young cornerbacks behind him, specifically Trayvon Mullen.
Mullen got the first start of his career on Sunday and held up well, allowing just two receptions for 10 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished the game with an overall grade of 72.9, which was the highest of his career. However, his day could have been even bigger if he was able to convert his pass deflection into an interception that hit both of his hands.
As the Raiders enter the second half of the season, the development and play of cornerbacks like Mullen and Isaiah Johnson are going to be fascinating to watch.
If either can prove to be a high-quality starter, then the move to trade away Conley will look fantastic. But if that doesn’t happen, Oakland could be in the cornerback market yet again this offseason. Look for Mullen to get a ton of playing time for the Raiders in the team’s final nine games.
