Oakland Raiders G.M. Under Pressure Over D.J. Hayden

Dec 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Buffalo Bills receiver Sammy Watkins (14) is defended by Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden (25) on a 42-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Damaged Goods

If you have any kind of off-the-field issues, McKenzie isn’t going to touch you with a 10-foot pole. However, he doesn’t seem to mind that much when a player has a history of medical issues. If Hayden doesn’t work out, that’s not going to be a good look in owner Mark Davis’ evaluation of him.

Remember, Davis already nixed a deal last offseason that would have landed the Raiders Roger Saffold because of medical issues. A have to admit that Hayden looked like he could be a special corner when he was in college. But he had the unfortunate accident that almost killed him just a few months before he was drafted.

Then he had surgery to clean out scar-tissue in his chest that caused him to miss valuable development time. This past offseason is the first one Hayden has had so you have to wonder if Hayden could have been taken later. If this doesn’t work, Davis will remember that McKenzie spent a 1st-round pick on a player that may never be the same.

Next: Crucial 2015