The Las Vegas Raiders made several major changes to their roster this offseason, but perhaps no position group was hit harder than the secondary. Pete Carroll and John Spytek completely revamped both rooms, but many are still concerned about the cornerback position in particular.
Gone now are Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones, as only Jakorian Bennett remains from last year's starting group. These two were replaced by third-round rookie Darien Porter and former Green Bay Packer Eric Stokes, so now the group lacks a single player who has appeared in more than 45 NFL games.
Veteran options have been largely ignored by the Raiders this offseason, as players like Jaire Alexander, Jalen Ramsey and Shaq Griffin landed elsewhere. However, there is one experienced cornerback still out there who is practically begging for Las Vegas to sign him.
Stephon Gilmore could be missing piece for Raiders' young cornerback room
Stephon Gilmore, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, could be an excellent addition to the Raiders' cornerback room. On a recent episode of "The Money Down Podcast," Gilmore sent a message to NFL teams about his wanting to play this season.
"I wanna play this year. It's just gotta be the right situation," Gilmore said. "I'm not just going to sign anywhere, it gotta be the right situation. I still love the game. I still can contribute. It just gotta be the right place."
Gilmore should look no further than Las Vegas, which would be a great situation for the 13-year veteran. He would essentially walk right into a starting role and could serve as a critical mentor for a set of young and inexperienced Raiders defensive backs.
Plus, he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, as he displayed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. He played in 15 games last season and recorded an interception, nine passes defended and 56 tackles. Gilmore also earned a 63.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was 93rd out of 222 cornerbacks.
Right now, it seems like some combination of Bennett, Stokes and Porter will be starting on the outside for Las Vegas. While these players are all incredibly talented, their relative inexperience could leave a hole in the Raiders' defense before they figure things out.
While Carroll seems intent on investing in young players and letting competition determine things in training camp, sometimes a surefire veteran option is the best route to take. Gilmore would be just that for the Raiders.
