With rosters taking shape now with free agency and the NFL draft behind us, the Las Vegas Raiders have a position battle brewing at slot corner.
Slot corner proved to be a weakness for the Raiders last season despite heavily investing in Lamarcus Joyner. In response, Raiders general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden reinforced the position in the draft. There, the Raiders picked up a potential steal in Amik Robertson to help man the slot this upcoming season and possibly beyond.
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Both the rookie and Joyner will play a major factor in the competition. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently alluded to the brewing battle at slot corner.
Lamarcus Joyner is the incumbent, and with $9.2 million tied to him in 2020 his roster spot is safe. The question is, will rookie Amik Robertson push Joyner out of the starting slot corner position and free him up to play more safety?
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The question regarding Joyner is legitimate due to the fact he’s struggled since arriving with the Raiders. Robertson, on the other hand, was hailed as a steal on draft day. Despite his size, he could have an immediate impact.
“Robertson plays with a toughness and tenacity that belies his size — 5-9 — but he’s also quick and fast enough to provide solid pass coverage. He played both outside and inside at Louisiana Tech, but the Raiders are developing him with the idea of playing him in the slot. As a guy that continually defies the odds, don’t rule Robertson playing well enough to take Joyner’s job.”
Even if Robertson takes over the slot, a platoon of himself, Joyner, and veteran Prince Amukamara could also help. This would be situational obviously. There will be a lot of pressure on defensive coordinator Paul Guenther to put these players in positions to succeed, masking any potential weaknesses with his scheme. For all the hype surrounding Robertson, let’s not forget he’ll be a rookie tasked with an important job.
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*Top Photo: Chuck Burton/Associated Press