Oakland Raiders Give CB Tracy Porter Excellent Chance to Rejuvenate Career

Through five NFL seasons, cornerback Tracy Porter has never played a full 16-game regular season slate.

Maybe the 2013 season with the Oakland Raiders will be his first.

The Raiders and Porter agreed to terms on a contract on Tuesday, as reported by ESPN's Josina Anderson. His deal is reportedly worth $2.5 million and should provide Oakland with a veteran presence capable of making a big impact in the secondary each week.

At a closer glance, this deal is about more than just filling a void for a defense that finished 18th in the NFL last season.

Porter said it best himself in a text message to Anderson about his free-agent choice (per the ESPN report): "They presented the best opportunity for me to get my career back on track after what transpired last season with the Denver Broncos."

Getting his career back on track in year No. 6 will be priority No. 1.

In the process, both sides should benefit.

From a career standpoint, Porter has had his fair share of shining moments. His brightest came in Super Bowl XLIV, when he intercepted then-Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning and returned it for a touchdown. The play sealed the game for New Orleans and became the signature moment of the Saints' season.



Playing with the AFC regular season champion Denver Broncos and new QB Manning last season after his four-year stint in New Orleans was over, Porter was a major disappointment.

Injuries limited him to just six games in Denver's push toward the Super Bowl. An offseason seizure scare carried over into the regular season, while a concussion kept him out of Denver's second-round loss to Baltimore in the AFC playoffs. Who knows, maybe a healthy Porter would have been in underneath coverage against Jacoby Jones in the ill-fated play that eventually cost Denver its season.



Injuries cost Porter a hot start and eventually his role with the team. Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders