Del Rio encouraged by former 1st-rounder Hayden
DJ Hayden has been unable to live up to expectations in the three seasons since joining the Oakland Raiders as the No. 12 pick in the 2013 draft.
Disappointing play led the team to decline his fifth-year contract option in May, but the 25-year-old will still be competing for a role heading into the final year of his contract.
All indications are he's made the most of that opportunity throughout offseason workouts.
"DJ Hayden had a really good spring. He really did," head coach Jack Del Rio said at the conclusion of Oakland's three-day minicamp, according to Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle. "I'm excited about his development."
Injury issues forced Hayden to miss 14 games over his first two seasons. Inconsistent performances saw him bumped in and out of the starting lineup throughout the 2015 season, despite the fact he suited up for all 16 contests.
While three years may be longer than an organization wants to wait to get a return on a first-round investment, Del Rio is confident there's still time for Hayden to make an impact.
"You have a chance to redefine yourself, I really believe that," Del Rio said. "As a player, it's never too late. You can redefine yourself, turn the corner and peel labels off that maybe people have for you and create your own. I feel like he's on his way to doing that this year."
Snaps may even be more difficult to come by this season, as Hayden is working as part of a cornerback group that has two clear cut starters in free-agent addition Sean Smith and 2015 breakout performer David Amerson.
Even establishing himself as a reliable contributor in sub packages, could go a long way toward bolstering a much-improved Oakland secondary.
And whether he eventually ends up re-signing with the Raiders, or landing with another team in March, progressing ahead of his first chance to hit the free-agent market is imperative.
Hayden enters his fourth season with three interceptions and 20 passes defensed across 23 starts.
- With h/t to NFL.com