Having Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs grace your cornerback room is remarkable, but when it comes to secondaries, depth is equally as important as starters are. While the Las Vegas Raiders are in great shape when it comes to their starting cornerbacks, the overall depth at the position needs work.
After Tuesday’s roster cuts, the Silver and Black left themselves with six corners including Jones and Hobbs – two rookies, one second-year player, and one defensive back who missed 14 games last season.
Jakorian Bennett aside, the second-year corner who totaled two pass breakups on three targets, preseason was a struggle for players at the position who weren’t Jones or Hobbs.
Rookie Decamerion Richardson posted the 19th-highest coverage grade (56.3) via Pro Football Focus out of all 30 defenders to play a coverage snap for the Raiders during preseason. M.J. Devonshire, the team’s second rookie at the position, received the second-lowest coverage grade (35.8).
Brandon Facyson didn’t appear in a single preseason contest as he continued nursing an injury.
The team needs to do something to fix their depth issues at corner – but what? Luckily for the Raiders, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers served a solution on a silver platter.
Recently waived cornerback Keenan Isaac fits perfectly with the Las Vegas Raiders
An undrafted free agent in 2023, Keenan Isaac has plenty of desired traits for a cornerback. Isaac stands a towering 6-foot-3 and possesses a 79″ wingspan; two measurements that no other corner on the Raiders can match.
Isaac used these traits to dominate during the 2024 preseason with Tampa Bay.
Through three contests, Isaac posted a 90.2 coverage grade (fifth-highest among all corners league-wide) on 57 coverage snaps. The 24-year-old was only tested twice, recording an interception and allowing a completion for one yard.
Opposing quarterbacks didn’t like throwing in Isaac’s direction because the now-former Buccaneer often had airtight coverage on his assignment.
The height and coverage abilities of Isaac instantly make him an asset to the Las Vegas Raiders – or any team in the National Football League. This raises the fair question: Will Isaac make it to 13 on waivers, where Sin City currently sits?
If Isaac manages to fall to the Raiders via waivers, Las Vegas’ cornerback room will take a big step forward. A similar situation happened during the 2023 season when the Patriots waived Jack Jones and he wound up in Sin City. The entire defense took a leap once Jones came to down.
Perhaps that will happen again with Keenan Isaac.
*Top Photo: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Denver Broncos Officially Name Their Starting Quarterback; Can He Break Losing Streak Vs Raiders?