Raiders Roster Evaluation: Karl Joseph

The 2021 NFL Draft is now behind us, and that means teams across the NFL are in the process of piecing together their entire rosters.

The Las Vegas Raiders are likely no different before what could be a pivotal fourth season of the second Jon Gruden era.

That's why we'll be going over roster evaluations for the Raiders players and position groups to see how everyone's stock measures up heading into the summer.

It's not often that a player immediately returns to the team that he left in free agency after only one season away. 

That is the reality for safety Karl Joseph, the first-round pick of the then Oakland Raiders back in 2016. 

Among the few remaining players who were on the Raiders' last playoff team, Joseph is coming off being a main contributor for the Cleveland Browns' playoff run last season. 

Joseph had one interception and 67 total tackles, although he actually had the lowest rating by Pro Football Focus in his career. 

It might just be an outlier considering the upward trajectory he was on by the end of his final season with the Raiders in 2019. 

Joseph graded out at 31st or better among safeties in both 2019 and 2020, providing above-average play at both free and strong safety. 

He didn't put up monster statistics during that time, totaling only four interceptions in four seasons as a Raider. 

Overall, however, he was a plus for the Raiders defense, and now just coming from a playoff roster, the team likely hopes he'll bring that ability right back.