Rashaan Melvin's motivation sky high entering first Raiders season

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ALAMEDA – Rashaan Melvin didn’t love his free agent experience. The veteran cornerback was on the market longer than expected, and didn’t get the multi-year deal he was looking for.

He ultimately choose to sign a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Raiders that includes another million available in incentives. He is excited about wearing silver and black. He loves playing press man coverage in Paul Guenther’s scheme. He enjoys Jon Gruden’s passion and practice style.

He can be all those things and a little irked at the same time. That twinge of frustration, it seems, fuels him forward.

“My motivations have grown tremendously,” Melvin said in an interivew with NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s the same grind, but I’m really excited to perform after the opportunities available to me in free agency. There was respect I wasn’t given based on my injury history and being undrafted and the fact that my track record wasn’t so long. That gave me the extra motivation I needed to get me ready for a big year. I’m making strides every day.”

Melvin understands why teams were wary of handing out a long-term deal upper-echelon cornerbacks got. He explains it well above, but that doesn’t mean he has to agree with it.

The 28-year old has never played a full season. His career sputtered at the start, going undrafted and ultimately being cut four times before catching on in Indianapolis. He could be viewed as a one-year wonder after a standout 2017 with the Colts.

Melvin ended up signing a prove-it deal, and plans to do exactly that. The Raiders certainly hope so after a disappointing run of cornerback play. The Silver and Black haven’t had much stability there despite bigger-money free-agent contracts and two first-round picks spent on the position since 2012.

The Raiders believe Gareon Conley can be a dynamic presence at cornerback if healthy. Melvin is a known commodity, their steady hand. That was his role in Indy, with a 52.7 completion percentage and a 60.3 passer rating against him, with 10 passes defensed and three picks.

He shadowed a few big receivers last year, including Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown. He had just two catches for 42 yards against Melvin.

Other teams understand his long frame, speed and sticky coverage can be tough to handle.

“The respect is there from teams I play,” Melvin said. “They see the film and understand my ability. I respect those guys right back. All I can do is my job. I can’t dictate how a person feels based upon my injuries or whatever. All I can control is the effort and production I have on the football field.”

Melvin expects big things playing in Guenther’s system, which provides opportunity to prove worthy of a better free-agent experience next offseason. He's not short on confidence, believing he can be a true shutdown cornerback. 

“I love the scheme, and it fits my skill set,” Melvin said. “I’m a long guy. I like to press, get hands on guys and disrupt receivers. It’s tough because it’s not the same guy. You have to master your own technique, your eyes, moving your feet well and getting hands on guys. If you do that, that makes it simple.”

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