Hayward is an elite cover corner though, with 92 man coverage and 90 zone coverage. He's also a great slot corner option with 93 change of direction and 93 agility. Marlon Humphrey - 89 OVR.
The Chargers have a void to fill, at least for now.
After trading Desmond King to the Titans on Monday, Los Angeles now finds themselves needing to fill the temporary void at the slot cornerback position.
At Monday's media availability, coach Anthony Lynn started out by saying 'Sometimes players need a fresh start. His time was up here and I wish him all the best,' when giving his thoughts on the trade
With King out, Lynn said he's considering TeVaughn Campbell, Nasir Adderley and Jahleel Addae for starting slot duties.
Campbell started in place of King this past weekend, where he had a solid outing with the exception of the pass interference call and blown assignment on the final drive.
The Chargers will need to do some work here, and the 2021 NFL Draft will be intriguing on the interior offensive line. One player to keep an eye on is Iowa Hawkeyes redshirt sophomore Tyler Linderbaum, arguably the top center in college football. The Chargers should have the best secondary in the NFL right now. 'We want that chance to prove ourselves on the outside,' says Chargers corner Casey Hayward, who played slot with the Packers, before shifting outside with the Chargers. Robey-Coleman certainly. Slot corner will remain a revolving door after Desmond King was traded to Tennessee. Tevaughn Campbell had a strong first half against Denver but drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone on the final drive of the game.
Addae was signed a couple of weeks ago to provide versatility. While he's primarily played safety, he can play inside if need be. The same applies for Adderley, whose natural position is free safety, but has some experience at cornerback.
Chris Harris Jr. is the one who mans the starting spot, but he remains on the injured reserve with a foot injury, and he will continue to be sidelined for at least a couple of more weeks.
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Even a decade ago, your average slot defender was just that — average. A smaller guy without the speed to take outside receivers up the post routes and down the sideline. But as NFL offenses have defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets, the nickel and dime defender has not only become a de facto starter, but also as important as any other defensive back on the field.
Imagine you're a slot cornerback in today's NFL. One week, you have to deal with Minnesota's Adam Thielen and his array of precise routes — not to mention his ability to streak downfield for a huge play if you make any hint of a mistake. The next week, you're up against the Eagles' Zach Ertz, getting bodied out by a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in devilish route combinations. The next week, you may have to face Antonio Brown in a week when his coaches decide to make him a primary slot receiver. Good luck with that.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66220339/1195470305.jpg.0.jpg "Chargers Slot Corner")
At Monday's media availability, coach Anthony Lynn started out by saying 'Sometimes players need a fresh start. His time was up here and I wish him all the best,' when giving his thoughts on the trade
With King out, Lynn said he's considering TeVaughn Campbell, Nasir Adderley and Jahleel Addae for starting slot duties.
Campbell started in place of King this past weekend, where he had a solid outing with the exception of the pass interference call and blown assignment on the final drive.
The Chargers will need to do some work here, and the 2021 NFL Draft will be intriguing on the interior offensive line. One player to keep an eye on is Iowa Hawkeyes redshirt sophomore Tyler Linderbaum, arguably the top center in college football. The Chargers should have the best secondary in the NFL right now. 'We want that chance to prove ourselves on the outside,' says Chargers corner Casey Hayward, who played slot with the Packers, before shifting outside with the Chargers. Robey-Coleman certainly. Slot corner will remain a revolving door after Desmond King was traded to Tennessee. Tevaughn Campbell had a strong first half against Denver but drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone on the final drive of the game.
Addae was signed a couple of weeks ago to provide versatility. While he's primarily played safety, he can play inside if need be. The same applies for Adderley, whose natural position is free safety, but has some experience at cornerback.
Chris Harris Jr. is the one who mans the starting spot, but he remains on the injured reserve with a foot injury, and he will continue to be sidelined for at least a couple of more weeks.
Sponsored: 15 great items for a football fan's ultimate at-home tailgate
Even a decade ago, your average slot defender was just that — average. A smaller guy without the speed to take outside receivers up the post routes and down the sideline. But as NFL offenses have defaulted to three- and four-receiver sets, the nickel and dime defender has not only become a de facto starter, but also as important as any other defensive back on the field.
Imagine you're a slot cornerback in today's NFL. One week, you have to deal with Minnesota's Adam Thielen and his array of precise routes — not to mention his ability to streak downfield for a huge play if you make any hint of a mistake. The next week, you're up against the Eagles' Zach Ertz, getting bodied out by a 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in devilish route combinations. The next week, you may have to face Antonio Brown in a week when his coaches decide to make him a primary slot receiver. Good luck with that.
But hey, at least Rob Gronkowski retired, so that's one slot nightmare out of the way.
The point is, slot defenders are tested in new and vicious ways in the modern league, and their skill sets to defend speed, option routes and increased uses of receiver space are unique. Most great outside cornerbacks want to stay outside for those exact reasons. As Richard Sherman once told me, the boundary is your friend, and if you have open space on both sides of your coverage, it isn't a lot of fun.
So, here are the best slot defenders in the business coming into the 2019 season, and what makes each one of them special.
Chargers Slot Corner Box
Losing Bryce Callahan to the Broncos in free agency was a blow for Chicago's defense, but it would have been far worse had McManis not established himself as an estimable slot cornerback in his own right. The 31-year-old veteran doesn't have top-end speed, but he understands defensive spacing and placement — he's one of those guys who always seems to be around the ball. In 2018, McManis allowed just 12 receptions on 22 slot targets for 80 yards, 42 yards after the catch, no touchdowns and an opponent passer rating of 62.7. You want to see a larger sample size of targets before moving him up this list, but 2018 was a step in the right direction.
