The Oakland Raiders had to make a move at cornerback to even have enough men to play on the field. Leave it to new general manager Reggie McKenzie to turn around the team’s fortunes with the addition of cornerback Ron Bartell, who signed a one-year deal with the Raiders.
Two offseasons ago, the Raiders lost Nnamdi Asomugha to the Philadelphia Eagles. This offseason, they already cut Stanford Routt, who signed with the Chiefs, and Chris Johnson. Given the pass-heavy nature of the NFL, the Raiders needed to make a deal, but they had to get under the cap first.
Bartell was the best cornerback left on the market according to many NFL analysts, so McKenzie should be applauded for finding the best value out there and signing a low-risk deal in the process.
"This is the perfect match for me," Bartell told ESPN’s Bill Williamson. "I know some of these guys and I fell comfortable with what they are doing. I really look forward to the opportunity to playing in Oakland."