Raiders sign Marcus Peters after Pro Bowl CB has strong workout

Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters, who is entering his eighth NFL season at 30-years-old, finally found a new football home just in time for the start of training camp. He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders after a strong workout on Monday. The known terms at the moment are that the contract is a one-year deal, according to NFL Media. Peters, whose 32 career interceptions, 42 total takeaways and interception-return touchdowns (six), are all the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2015, is a strong pickup for a Raiders secondary that allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (242.9) and the highest passer rating (98.8) in the entire NFL in 2022. 

Peters began his career with the Raiders' AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs after being selected 18th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. He dominated out of the gate, co-leading the NFL in interceptions (eight) in 2015, earning him Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors. Peters continued his strong play in 2016, earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades while hauling in six more interceptions. The Chiefs traded him two years later in 2018, sending him to the Los Angeles Rams along with a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick and a 2019 second-round-pick.

Peters played a critical role on the Rams run to the Super Bowl that season where they then came up short against the New England Patriots. He was traded in the following season around the trade deadline to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for defensive lineman Kenny Young and a 2020 fifth-round pick. The Ravens ended up extending him on a three-year, $42 million deal, which ran through the 2022 season. Peters earned his latest Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro accolades in 2019 by intercepting five passes and running three back for touchdowns, the most interception return scores in the league. He had a solid first, full season with the Ravens in 2020, but a torn ACL wiped out his entire 2021. Peters had a down-year by his standards in his first year back from the injury in 2022, registering an 84.8 passer rating allowed in coverage, the highest of his career and the seventh-highest among 54 defensive backs to have 70 passes thrown against them in coverage last season.

Most athletes bounce back much stronger in their second season removed from a torn ACL, so the Raiders and Peters are hoping that's the case in 2023 when he reports to their training camp on Tuesday. Two-time Pro Bowl Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby is thrilled to team up with Peters, expressing his joy with the signing shortly after it became official Monday evening.