Cornerback was a priority for the Raiders coming into free agency. But their top target, Byron Jones, rebuffed their offer to make him the league’s highest paid cornerback and agreed to a deal with the Dolphins instead.
Since then, there had been no news out of the Raiders camp of going after another cornerback. Now, with just a half hour left in the free agent negotiating period, they have agreed to terms with Eli Apple according to Jerry McDonald of the East Bay Times.
Apple was the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Giants. He was traded to the Saints midway through the 2018 season for a four a fourth round pick. Last season he started all 15 games in which he appeared, with no interceptions and four pass breakups. He has three career interceptions.
Pro Football Focus gave Apple a grade of 65.0 for his 25 games in New Orleans and a 62.9 for his 23 games in New York. Those aren’t great grades, by the way, but who knows what they really mean when you break them down. Mayock probably still had visions of the level of player he was when he was drafted at 10 overall.
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