Among the units the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t get much production in 2019 was their cornerback group. Now that they revamped the position and have a plethora of options, they will have to part ways with some of their players.
The Silver and Black Suddenly find themselves with plenty of cornerbacks
Other than Trayvon Mullen, the Raiders lacked playmakers at cornerback and even the Clemson standout had his share of bumps and bruises as a rookie. In the middle of the season, the Silver and Black gave up on 2017’s draft pick, Gareon Conley. They sent him to the Texans and ended up getting a third-round selection in exchange. Moreover, Lamarcus Joyner failed to have an impact in the slot and the team’s other rookies, Isaiah Johnson and Keisean Nixon, didn’t contribute much.
Although Nixon and Johnson have potential, the Raiders couldn’t wait to see if they could produce on the field so they gave their cornerback room a makeover. They drafted Damon Arnette and Amik Robertson this past draft. Also, they brought in veteran Prince Amukamara. Now that Johnson is healthy and Nixon has had a chance to show his skill set, the team has abundance at the position.
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The Raiders are about to trim their roster and will release some of their corners
Even though the Raiders cornerback unit is unproven as a whole, it has depth and they won’t be able to keep all of them. Besides all the newcomers and the sophomores, the team also has Nevin Lawson who isn’t flashy but is solid. Assuming Mullen takes over one starting spot and Amukamara and Arnette take turns at the other, that’s three roster spots. Joyner will come back in the slot and Robertson will back him up. That’s two more.
Unless the Raiders intend to carry seven cornerbacks, which is unlikely, Nixon, Johnson, and Lawson will be vying for one or two more roster spots. That means one or two of them will end up being victims of the numbers game. Johnson’s last week of practice was really good according to Tashan Redd of The Athletic, so he might have an edge but it’s too early to tell. Lawson will serve a one-game suspension so that could play a factor in keeping him or not.
However we look at it, the Raiders will have a difficult choice to make, which isn’t a bad thing in itself. As long as they don’t fall into a “burden of choice” situation, they should be fine. After all, it’s better to have options than not having any at all.
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