The Oakland Raiders bolstered their secondary Tuesday, claiming cornerback David Amerson via wavers from the Washington Redskins.
So, what does the third-year cornerback bring to the table?
According to the NFL.com draft profile on Amerson, he "possesses size, physicality and athleticism to be a starting NFL defensive back," which is something that Head Coach Jack Del Rio echoed when asked Wednesday about his new cornerback.
"Athletic. He's got size, speed and athleticism that we covet," said Head Coach Del Rio. "He's got some starts in the league, so he has some experience. He's still a young player."
It's been a whirlwind few days for the North Carolina State-product, as he was claimed by the Raiders Tuesday, arriving in Oakland in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
"I'm just trying to learn the playbook and learn as fast as I can so I can get out there and be on the same page as everybody," Amerson said.
While it's unclear how much Amerson will play Sunday against the Browns, if he plays at all, at the very least he'll add depth to an Oakland secondary that has been bit by the injury bug the past few weeks.
Nate Allen was placed on the Reserve/Injured – Designated for Return list September 15, and there was brief concern that veteran safety Charles Woodson could miss some time as well.
In the 2015 manifestation of NFL secondaries, tall, rangy, athletic defensive backs are at a premium, and that's precisely what Amerson is.
Standing at 6'1" and tipping the scales at 205 pounds, Amerson possesses all the intangibles, so it'll be interesting to see how his role develops in the Raiders secondary.
"He has a chance to develop," Head Coach Del Rio said. "We'll let him come in here and compete and determine a role through competition."
