5 BEST CORNERBACKS STILL AVAILABLE

BY ADAM GREENE

We have an embarrassment of riches available at cornerback this late in the offseason. No fewer than three former first round picks are still in the unemployment line, with men that have made All Pro teams and multiple Pro Bowls.

When paring down this list I did make a command decision and that was leaving off Richard Sherman. While Sherman has publicly stated that he has not officially retired, he did sign on to become a pre-game and postgame analyst on Amazon’s NFL broadcasts. Considering his last two injury shortened seasons and some off the field issues, I’m think he’s probably going to hang up the spurs for good. Therefore, I put someone else in his place.

But we still have five more high value targets. Here are my selections for the top five cornerbacks still available on the market.

5. TRAE WAYNES, FREE AGENT

Age: 29

2021: 12 tackles, one pass defended

Waynes was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft for the Minnesota Vikings and, for about a year and a half, looked every bit like a bust. Given a real shot in his second season, Waynes solidified his position, started eight games and locked down that job for the Vikings for the next three seasons. After saving his career. Waynes signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and immediately got hurt, missed all the 2020 season and didn’t see the field until four games into the 2021 campaign. He appeared in just nine games including the playoffs and Supe Bowl for Cincy before getting cut in March.

Perfect landing spot: Carolina Panthers

Ideally, the Panthers have two starting corners, but they definitely don’t have three. I say “ideally” because 2021 first round pick Jaycee Horn missed nearly all of last season with a fractured foot. Hopefully Horn will be OK, but even if he is, every team needs three starting corners. As of today, they’re looking at busted out former Jacksonville Jaguars pick CJ Henderson and nine-year pro Rashaan Melvin. I’m not ready to toss Henderson out the airlock yet and the Panthers are right to look at him as a No. 3, but Waynes would add the needed insurance and experience. And maybe help Henderson get over the bust moniker that Waynes was in so much danger of being stuck with seven years ago.

4. CHRIS HARRIS, JR., FREE AGENT

Age: 33

2021: 37 tackles, one interception, six passes defended

Harris Jr. was stolen off the undrafted free agent pile in 2011 by the Denver Broncos. He started four games as a rookie, 12 in his second year and took over as a full time starter in 2013 where he remained until 2019. He left for the Los Angeles Chargers for two seasons. Harris was healthy for nine games in 2020. He showed up in 14 games last season and started 11, putting up solid numbers, but not up to his past standards in Denver. Harris has started in two Super Bowls and won one. He’s 2016 first team All Pro, a two-time second team All-Pro, a four time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2010s All-Decade NFL team.

Perfect landing spot: Atlanta Falcons

Harris would probably prefer to roll with a contender if he wants to continue his career. This would be his 12^th season, so he could just call it a day. He’s achieved, especially as a UDFA, pretty much everything he could want as an NFL player and probably has a gold Pro Football Hall of Fame jacket in his future. If he does want to suit back up, the Falcons would be a good spot. They’ve invested a lot of draft capital into their defensive backfield starters, but have a huge drop off outside of CBs 1 and 2. Former second round pick Isaiah Oliver is in the final year of his contract and coming off an injury. The NFC Wild Card race is wide open and the Falcons hung around the playoff field a year ago until December. If they want to compete in the pass happy NFC South, they need to improve their DB room and Harris made a Hall of Fame career out of picking off Tom Brady back in Denver.

3. XAVIER RHODES, FREE AGENT

Age: 32

2021: 39 tackles, one interception, seven passes defended, one fumble recovery

Rhodes was a first round pick for the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 and played like one there for the first seven years of his career. He left as a free agent in 2020 for the Indianapolis Colts before finding himself back on the street this offseason. He was a first team All Pro in 2017 and a three-time Pro Bowler. In that 2017 season, he recorded 56 tackles, one for a loss, two interceptions and 10 passes defended. That’s not too far away from the stats he put down last season.

Perfect landing spot: Seattle Seahawks

As rough a time the Seahawks had on defense a year ago, it’s only getting worse in 2022. Their starters right now look like Tre Brown, a fourth round pick in 2021, and journeyman Sydney Jones who has a total of four interceptions in his five year career. Justin Coleman and Artie Burns are behind them but, frankly, I like those guys better than the starters. So that means help is desperately needed, especially with four games next season against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals not to mention four more against the AFC West. It’s already going to be a long season in Seattle, but there’s no reason to sit back and let every QB and WR you face rack up their contract incentives against you.

2. JOE HADEN, FREE AGENT

Age: 33

2021: 38 tackle, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six passes defended

Haden is our third former first round pick to make this top five list. He was nabbed at No. 7 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2010 and remained with that hapless franchise until 2016. Once freed, Haden had his escape Shawshank and stand in the rain moment by spending the next five seasons playing for the consistently playoff threatening Pittsburgh Steelers. Haden was a second team All Pro in 2013, made the All-Rookie team in 2010 and was a three-time Pro Bowler, most recently in 2019. That 2019 season was also his best. He recorded 65 tackles, three for a loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, five interceptions and 17 passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: Philadelphia Eagles.

Haden might as well stay in Pennsylvania and keep his streak of playoff contention alive. Philadelphia has an all but guaranteed postseason spot slotted thanks to its schedule, but if they want to be more than one-and-done, they need to shore up their pass defense. Darius Slay is an elite corner on the left side, but James Bradberry is definitely replaceable on the right. Frankly, I like nickel corner Avonte Maddox better, but Haden would be an upgrade over both. Not only in talent and production, but in big game performance and leadership.

1. JANORIS “JACKRABBIT” JENKINS, FREE AGENT

Age: 33

2021: 54 tackles, one interception, six passes defended, one forced fumble

Jenkins was nabbed in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the then St. Louis Rams out of the University of North Alabama. He ended up at the NCAA Division II institution after some trouble at Florida, but whatever the scamp did in college, none of those problems seemed to have followed him personally into the NFL. Jenkins was a second team All Pro in 2016 and a Pro Bowler. He made the All-Rookie team in 2012 and was one of many fantastic defensive picks of the Jeff Fisher era with the Rams. The man could not win football games, but he could judge defensive talent. His best season was actually 2019 for two different teams, the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints. He opened the season in New York, but was cut in December after getting into a spat with a fan on Twitter. Yes. They cut him for that. The Saints signed him and promptly made the playoffs. He recorded a total of 61 tackles, five interceptions and 16 passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: New England Patriots

The Pats defensive backfield is in a mess. So much so in fact that their best cornerback, Malcolm Butler, didn’t even play last year because he retired. They talked the dude off his Barcalounger after 365 days and he’s still the best corner on their roster. Jenkins is the prototype Bill Belichick corner. He’s tough, long and is not afraid to hit. He’s produced in every defense he’s been in, regardless of how good the team has been around him and, more often than not, that team has been bad. It’ll be bad again in New England, but Jenkins would at least be a bright spot.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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