ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders have added another proven veteran to their rebuilding defence, signing free-agent cornerback Carlos Rogers to a one-year contract on Monday.
Rogers, 32, joins former San Francisco 49ers secondary mate Tarell Brown on Oakland’s overhauled defence. The Raiders have also brought in defensive linemen Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Antonio Smith.
All of those other players are at least 29 years old and have played in the Super Bowl in their careers as general manager Reggie McKenzie is counting on that experience to help end an 11-year playoff drought.
"The Raiders have been one of the teams that have been more active in the off-season, trying to turn things around," Rogers said. "I see where this team is going and it wasn’t hard to come here and finalize the deal."
Oakland is coming off back-to-back four-win seasons and hasn’t had a winning record since winning the 2002 AFC championship.
After showing some promise early in the season, the Raiders defence wilted late and allowed the second-most points per game (28.3) in franchise history. Oakland has had two of the three highest scoring seasons allowed in coach Dennis Allen’s first two years with the franchise. That led to the big changes on defence this off-season.
Rogers played an NFL-high 1,259 snaps as a slot cornerback in his three years in San Francisco, according to Pro Football Focus. He will likely play that role again in Oakland on the nickel defence and will also compete with last year’s first-round pick D.J. Hayden for a starting spot outside across from Brown.
"We were a big part of the puzzle that turned San Francisco’s defence around, so hopefully we can translate that over here and be even better," Rogers said.
Rogers was let go earlier this off-season by the Niners in a cost-saving move. He said he holds no ill will to his former team but is looking forward to playing San Francisco this upcoming season.
Rogers has started 116 games over nine seasons with Washington and San Francisco. He has 17 career interceptions and 109 passes defenced.
His best year statistically came in his first season in San Francisco in 2011 when he had six interceptions and was picked for the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All Pro honours.
That performance helped lead San Francisco back to the playoffs after eight straight years without a berth. Rogers played in three NFC title games in three seasons with the Niners and also lost the Super Bowl to Baltimore following the 2012 season.
"I want to continue to win and I want to continue to be a big part of helping to turn this organization around, like I did in San Francisco and continue to win and try to get to that Super Bowl and win it," Rogers said.
