Teams making a playoff push will have the chance to add a potentially premier cornerback just in time for the stretch run, after the Las Vegas Raiders released two-time First-Team All-Pro Marcus Peters on Monday afternoon.
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Peters, 30, might not be the same player that he was at the peak of his career but can still contribute quality snaps as underscored by his 71.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, while producing 43 total tackles with one interception so far this season.
"He's still a really great fit for any team that plays a lot of man-coverage," a veteran NFC Scout told FanBuzz, when asked what Peters' upside is at this stage of his career.
Since being chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Peters has consistently been among the top players at the position. Through his first 116 games, Peters has produced 389 tackles with a pair of sacks, 33 interceptions, and 97 pass breakups.
With several teams potentially in the market for a veteran cornerback to give their postseason push a boost, here's a look at Peters' best fits:
Philadelphia Eagles
The defensive backfield might wind up being the weak link on an otherwise deep and talented Eagles roster. Each week it seems that Philadelphia's secondary is walking on a razor's edge, and is fresh off allowing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen to pass for 339 yards with two touchdowns to one interception. Few teams play more man-defense than the Eagles, who according to PFF, line up in mean-coverage roughly 35 percent of defensive snaps. If Peters is looking at his next destination as an opportunity to chase a Super Bowl ring, the Eagles might be the best mutual fit, where he could potentially be an insurance policy on James Bradberry and Darius Slay's inconsistent play.
Los Angeles Rams
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Los Angeles has been hovering around .500 for much of the season, despite battling through myriad injuries and navigating the growing pains of inexperienced players at several key positions. If Peters would wind up signing with the Rams, he would walk into a starting role opposite Ahkello Witherspoon, as second-year starter Cobie Durant has been a favorite target of opposing quarterbacks who have produced a 99.8 passer rating when throwing his way as wide receivers average 14.6 yards per reception against him.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' opportunistic defense is built on a dominant front-seven and swarming pass-rush, but could use some experience in an otherwise youthful secondary. Bringing Peters back to Baltimore would add a quality veteran presence to an improving secondary, while adding an insurance policy on a group that has played through some nagging injuries throughout the 2023 season. If the Ravens are going to break through and make the Super Bowl, Baltimore is going to need to likely get by the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Stroud and Josh Allen. Having a veteran in the cornerback room like Peters can only be an asset in the big games coming down the pike.
