After going one-on-one on the practice field the past five seasons, wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Casey Hayward will now line up across from each other in an actual live game, in different uniforms.
After suiting up in the blue and gold, Hayward now dons the Raiders’ silver and black following him brought in by former Chargers and current defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for Las Vegas.
Allen spoke highly of his former teammate while looking ahead to Monday’s game.
“Great guy, great teammate, great competitor, so it’s going to be fun,” Allen said. “When Casey is ready to play, he goes pretty good. Last year, he just happened to have injuries.”
Hayward played a vital role in the success of Los Angeles’ defense after he signed in 2016. He defended 66 passes and picked off 14 en route to earning two trips to the Pro Bowl and being named All-Pro twice.
However, 2020 marked Hayward’s most underwhelming campaign, largely due to injuries, which led to the decision to release him rather than letting him go into the final season of his contract.
Now the veteran presence in a young Raiders secondary, Hayward has been playing some great football for his new team.
Hayward’s 82.8 overall Pro Football Focus grade ranks second among corners, and he is third with an 85.0 coverage grade. In addition, he has a passer rating of 42.4 this season, third-best at the position.
Allen will look to get the best of Hayward and continue his dominance against Las Vegas altogether. In 13 games, Allen has 80 receptions for 904 yards and five touchdowns.