The Las Vegas Raiders added plenty of talent at the cornerback position through this year’s offseason. That can be both good and less than optimal at the same time ahead of the 2020 season.
One of the Raiders weakest links last year was their cornerback unit. Other than Trayvon Mullen, they were inconsistent, injured, and/or young as a whole. After the 2020 NFL Draft and free agency, the group will have plenty of new faces.
First, the Raiders parted ways with Daryl Worley, who didn’t bring enough stability to the position to be part of the team’s long term plans. They decided to bring Nevin Lawson back, but it’s uncertain how big his role be with rookies Amik Robertson and Damon Arnette vying for snaps. Moreover, veteran Prince Amukamara recently joined the team.
On the other hand, second-year players Keisean Nixon and Isaiah Johnson could also challenge for the starting job opposite of Mullen. After finishing the season strong, Nixon can show he wasn’t a fluke. A healthy Johnson can do the same after injuries pretty much shut him down in his rookie year.
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Raiders: Talented Yet Unproven
With Worley now gone, there is plenty of potential at cornerback for the Raiders. Moreover, the position is full of youth and devoid of injuries. Nevertheless, those same attributes are not enough to assure the organization their secondary has improved. The group is unproven and even though they all look good on paper, it’s uncertain how much of an improvement they will until they see the football field.
Lost in the mix is Lamarcus Joyner. Although he seems more comfortable at safety, it seems like he will play the slot. If his performance doesn’t improve, he may lose some snaps to the youngsters.
Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently graded all position groups on the Raiders defense. Based on where their secondary currently stands, the writer gave them a C+. Talking about their cornerback group, he sees the addition of Amukamara as a plus. He said, “He would challenge Arnette for the starting job opposite Mullen. The cornerback room is extremely young, so a veteran presence such as Amukamara could be a boost, along with the presence of Joyner, who plays the slot.”
“Mullen flashed in the second half of his 2019 rookie season, and if he continues on that upward trek, he could be a star in the making. Rookies Arnette and Robertson join Johnson, a second-year player who missed most of his rookie season with a fractured face, as promising players. The Raiders need them to get settled quickly,” added Bonsignore.
The Raiders invested heavily in the cornerback position. We will soon see if their facelift pays dividends on game day.
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