The Raiders—Cornering the Market on Corners

 By John Turney 

Lester Hayes

Al Davis loved the deep passing game, pass-rushing defensive linemen, and corners who could cover man to man. Not necessarily in that order. Above all he probably most adored the cornerbacks.

He certainly went after them.

Of the twenty top single-seasons of Raiders' corners at least a half-dozen he targeted and acquire through trades or free agency.

Picking a top season by a cornerback is tricky because if a player has a lot of interceptions it could mean it was a great season or just a good season. Conversely, a season with just one, two or maybe three picks can be great. Or poor. 

The same player may have a big interception year and it was his best and then follow it up with seasons teams avoid him. Sometimes postseason honors like All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections come a year after the player had his best season.

With that preface here are the top individual seasons by Raiders' cornerbacks taking all those things into consideration.

20. Fabian Washington, 2006—Four interceptions, a couple of years later signed as a free agent by the Ravens - not a stellar season but it rounds out the top twenty.

19. Tory James, 2002. In his contract year of 2002 James made 45 tackles, had 19 passes defensed and intercepted four passes in a season when he cracked his fibula and missed just two weeks after having a metal plate in his leg. He gets tough-guy points for that.

The Bengals thought enough of his season to sign him to a four-year $14.4 million contract.

18. Casey Hayward, 2021—Always solid, the aging vet had a solid year in Sin City in '21. It wasn't as good as his peak years with the Packers or Chargers but at 32 he did a good job.

17. Eddie Macon, 1960—Macon started in the NFL then had an All-Star career in the CFL. Next, he joined the Raiders in the AFL's inaugural season and promptly picked off nine passes taking one to the house and for his efforts he made the UPI All-AFL team.

16. George Atkinson, 1968—Moved to safety but as a rookie he played corner, filling in for and injured Kent McCloughan and was pretty good. He was the AFL Rookie of the Year, but his greatest contribution to the AFL West Champs was in the return game. His statistical totals were 69 tackles and was credited with 28 passes defensed.

15. Phillip Buchanon, 2003—Buchanan picked off six passes taking two back for touchdowns. The 4.31 speedster was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week once. He also ran back two punts for scores. He'd be higher on this list if he hadn't been beaten for a few too many scores.

14. Skip Thomas, 1975—The Raiders' "Soul Patrol" secondary was stellar in 1975 posting a defensive passer rating of 37.5 and as a unit they picked off 28 passes. "Dr. Death" had six of those to go with his 41 tackles and 26 passes defensed.

As his nickname suggests the 6-1, 205-pound Thomas was a devastating hitter, akin to having an extra safety on the field. (note: the nickname actually had a different origin).

13. Lionel Washington, 1991—The Week 7 AFC Defensive Player of the Week the former Cardinal had 72 tackles and five interceptions and 21 passes defensed.

It was one of those seasons sometimes referred to as a "Pro Bowl snub" - a season worthy of being on the team but didn't get chosen.

12. Nemiah Wilson, 1971—Wilson went to an AFL All-Star game with the Broncos but as a Raider didn't get any accolades but with teams throwing away from Willie Brown, Wilson responded with vigor and in his career year as a Raider he grabbed five enemy passes had 47 tackles, five for losses - a credit to his ability to play the run, and 25 passes defensed. 

11. Fred Williamson, 1962—"The Hammer" had his best season in 1962. The future Hollywood actor was a consensus All-AFL choice, stole eight passes and took one of those to the end zone. 

One paper called the 6-3, 215-pound Williamson the "best secondary defender in the AFL." He played off, now called playing "out of phase" and would play downhill and close on the ball and deflect or intercept. 

10. Albert Lewis, 1996—Lewis was still playing great as a Raider after signing as a free agent, leaving the Chiefs. He was still a fine cover corner, giving up just a single touchdown pass, per Stats Perform (STATS). The should-be Hall of Famer was also and a force in the run defense and coming on the corner blitz.

He had 54 tackles, two interceptions, three sacks and was credited with 15 defended passes.

9. Eric Allen, 1998—In 2000, at 35 years of age, he proved he still could make teams pay when they challenged him. He nabbed six opponent passes and turned three into touchdowns. 

But that is not his top season with the Raiders.

Two years prior Allen had an individual defensive passer rating of 16.3 (STATS). Yes, in a statistic that 50.0 is excellent, 40.0 is great he had a 16.3! 

Only 41.0 percent of passes directed towards him were completed, intercepted give and on the one touchdown he allowed it was a shared responsibility, so he allowed just a half-touchdown.

8. Terry McDaniel, 1994—Twice the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, McDaniel had seven interceptions, one being a pick-six and recovered three fumbles, one a scoop-and-score. He also had 61 tackles and 22 passes defensed.

He was a second-team All-Pro (AP) but astute Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News as well as NFL Films both of whom picked All-Pro teams put McDaniel on their first teams.

7.  Kent McCloughan, 1967—A master of the bump and run, doing so because he had very good but not elite speed, he frustrated receivers by disrupting their routes and throwing off the timing of their routes. 

His 1966 could have been picked, he was All-AFL and snagged an AFL Defensive Player of the Week award but in 1967 he was a consensus All-AFL and was half of the top corner tandem in pro football and had 55 tackles and 23 passes defensed. 

After that season Lance Alworth said, "Kent's the real master of the bump and run. He tied you up by keeping his hands on you all the time. If it is a short pass he's right there. If it's long, he knocks you off stride. It's hard to get moving when someone bumps you every second or third step."

Knee injuries shortened his career but the 6-1, 190-pounder who was as adept at tackling as coverage was among pro football's very best cornerbacks for a short time. 

6. Dave Grayson, 1965—Grayson was somehow let go by Hank Stram and Al Davis was happy to take him in a one-for-one swap of he and Fred Williamson. 

He would become a dominant safety in Oakland but that would come a couple of years later. He was a corner at first and a great one at that. 

You have to love old-school verbiage.  At midseason in '65 one writer said that Grayson had "not been bombed", presumably meaning he hadn't given up a long touchdown so far that year.  

He was a consensus All-AFL selection, His tackle total was 51 and he totaled 21 passes defensed and picked off three "aerials" returning two for touchdowns.

5. Charles Woodson, 1999—In just his second NFL season teams avoided throwing to Woodson's side. "There is a reason he's not getting the numbers (interceptions)" said teammate Richard Harvey, "Nobody's throwing at him. He's not getting any activity."

The 1997 Heisman winner was a consensus All-Pro and Pro Bowl starter and the future Hall of Famer took his only pick back for a touchdown. He had 61 tackles and 15 passes defended. 

4. Nnamdi Asomugha, 2007—In 2006 he had the picks and his lowest individual defensive passer rating of 40.5 (STATS). 

After that teams didn't throw at him anymore. 

There were other years he didn't allow a touchdown and/or and was a consensus All-Pro. Any of those years would qualify for this list.

It's okay to go with the advanced numbers sometimes and in 2007 he allowed just a 36.8 completion percentage and one touchdown (also STATS) even though he had just a single interception. 

He gets some heat because he signed a huge contract with the Eagles and never played as well there as he did as a Raider but he was a true shutdown guy in Oakland for a handful of years.

Free agency has been tremendous for NFL players and the NFL. It has brought fairer pay and excitement for teams looking to improve immediately but it sometimes puts players in situations that hurt their legacies.

Had Asomugha been able to get paid in Oakland and had he kept the level of play at the same level for another handful of years he might have the Hall of Fame. As it is, the Philly years ended all hopes of that.

3. Willie Brown, 1969—Not only was Brown a consensus All-AFL pick he was first-team on the All-Pro teams that picked players from both the NFL and AFL. He was widely considered the best cornerback in pro football that year and probably a few years around it.

Joe Namath said so after he allowed George Sauer one catch for 16 yards in a late November game. Namath targeted Sauer twelve times that game according to media reports.

Sauer also was quoted as agreeing with Namath, "Yep. He's the best".

Willie Brown thought so, too. When asked who the best cornerback in the world Brown reportedly said, "I am." 

He was probably right.

Al Davis coveted him for years when he was a Bronco, in 1967 he finally got his man. Davis marveled at Brown's development of the bump-and-run style that Raiders cornerbacks adopted for decades after. 

Brown was never really given credit for being an excellent force corner and was like McCloughan could be found making tackles in the backfield on sweeps to his side. 

Though numbers never begin to tell the story of Brown or any corner it's always to see them. His stat line was 35 tackles and he was credited with 34 passes defensed.

2. Mike Haynes, 1984—"The Shadow" had several great years in Los Angeles but he was the NFL Defensive MVP (NEA) in 1984 and he was simply the best in the NFL so that year is his Raiders career year.

A consensus All-Pro and Pro Bowler and a top-ranked cornerback by scouts he shutdown receivers week after week. 

Willie Brown, his secondary coach said he was the "Ideal cornerback. It's like you ordered him out of a catalog." Haynes himself felt he played well in 1984, maybe better than usual because teams had to throw to him more than they did in New England. "Here with Lester on the other side, it's tough. Where are they going to throw? They have to try."

Try they did and Haynes made them sorry they did. He had six interceptions and two went for scores, he was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for a two-interception game against the Dolphins and Dan Marino.

He finished with six picks, a league-leading 220 yards in returns and one was a touchdown. Gamebooks credit him with 53 tackles and 20 passes defensed and one researcher shows his individual defensive passer rating was in the low 40s.

He pitched the shutouts, allowing no completions and four with only one completion. It was simply a tremendous season for Haynes.

1. Lester Hayes, 1980—Sometimes the obvious choice is the best choice. 

Like others on this list after his big interception year teams avoided "the Molester" (at least until Haynes arrived) and he still played very well but 1980 is his top season. It is a year that the interceptions are an indication of elite play.

He was the consensus NFL Defensive Player of the Year, one short of the NFL record for interceptions with 13, had four interceptions called back on penalties, including a 95-yard touchdown, and then had five more interceptions in the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl win.

Hayes even forced a fumble and fell on two for a total of 15 takeaways in the regular season to go with 49 tackles and 22 passes defensed. He did allow a few touchdowns but that was due to his gambling, and quarterback-baiting style and the game-changing plays he made proved the results were worth the gamble.

The stickum-covered, self-proclaimed Jedi Knight was the best defensive player in the league, the best player on a team that got the ring. His career-year of 1980 season was one for the ages and it was the best in the vaunted history of the NFL team that boasts the greatest collection of cornerbacks.