When the Las Vegas Raiders traded defensive end Yannick Ngakoue for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in 2022, the hope was that he’d potentially be a long-term starter. However, injuries hampered him that season and he only played in 11 games, starting nine of them.
The former second-round pick spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens and is on the move once again. The San Francisco 49ers announced on April 11 that they’ve signed Ya-Sin to a one-year contract.
Ya-Sin’s biggest knock is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy consistently. He hasn’t played a full season once in five years. He’s also not much of a ballhawk. He hasn’t had an interception since the 2020 season and just two in his whole career.
The 49ers have had one of the better defenses in the NFL for several years now but have invested most of their money in the front seven. There should be an opportunity for Ya-Sin to see the field a lot and make some plays. The 49ers’ elite defensive line makes life easier for cornerbacks so this could be the situation that Ya-Sin needs to reboot his career.
The #49ers today announced the team has signed CB Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 11, 2024
Las Vegas Raiders Expected to Add OL or CB in 1st-Round
Much of the discussion surrounding what the Raiders might do in the draft has involved quarterbacks. However, the team doesn’t pick until No. 13, and with so many teams picking before them needing quarterbacks, it could prove too difficult to get one in the first round this season.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid is now expecting the Raiders to look at other positions early.
“Yeah, expect offensive line or cornerback at No. 13 overall,” Reid wrote in an April 11 column. “At Alabama’s pro day last month, Pierce seemed to be keeping a close eye on Terrion Arnold, who would give Vegas a shutdown corner on the outside. But sources with the team have also suggested to me that the Raiders could add another tackle to pair with Kolton Miller. Taliese Fuaga is a natural match based on the hole at right tackle and play style, but don’t dismiss JC Latham at this spot, either.”
Quarterback is the team’s biggest need so they will likely continue to consider their options in case there’s a scenario where they can add one they like. If not, there’s no reason to force the issue right now and waste a first-round pick on the wrong quarterback.
Should Las Vegas Raiders Favor OL or CB?
Outside of quarterback, offensive line and cornerback are definitely the team’s biggest needs. The team has not been aggressive addressing the positions in free agency so there’s a good chance they have plans to add to both positions in the draft.
With the No. 13 pick, offensive line would likely make more sense than cornerback. There are still good cornerbacks in free agency that the Raiders could sign as stopgap starters. It’s much harder to find good offensive linemen in free agency right now. Plus, their prices are going way up. The team doesn’t have a right guard or a right tackle right now. There’s a very good chance that Las Vegas will target a right tackle in the first round and address the cornerback need later.
