The Las Vegas Raiders have done a lot to upgrade the roster this offseason, but cornerback still remains an area of concern. Jakorian Bennett is likely to return as a starter, but it’s unclear who might start at the other outside spot or in the slot.
The Raiders have some intriguing young cornerback talent like Darien Porter and Decamerion Richardson, but it’s far too early to know if either can be a starter. Head coach Pete Carroll values cornerbacks, so it’s hard to imagine he’ll go into the season with this young of a room.
Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus named every team’s biggest question ahead of the 2025 season, and he’s concerned that the Raiders need to make some more additions on defense.
“The Raiders can lay claim to being one of the NFL’s most-improved teams this offseason, fueled by trading for Geno Smith (81.9 PFF passing grade) and a tremendous draft,” Locker wrote. “Still, more questions loom for a defense that finished 32nd in PFF coverage grade a year ago.
“Las Vegas’ cornerback room is troubling, to say the least, even after signing Eric Stokes (62.4 PFF coverage grade) and drafting Darien Porter (90.1 PFF coverage grade) in the third round. Linebacker also carries worries, with only Elandon Roberts (79.7 PFF overall grade) having played more than 200 snaps last year. The Raiders would benefit greatly from signing players such as Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr. or Eric Kendricks as they seek talent at those positions.”
Could Raiders Trade for Jalen Ramsey?
The Raiders could be holding off on signing a veteran cornerback to see what options might become available. The Miami Dolphins are hoping to trade star cornerback Jalen Ramsey this offseason.
He’d be a perfect fit in Patrick Graham’s defense, and he’s expressed interest in playing in Las Vegas previously. Plus, it shouldn’t cost too much in a trade to add him. He might be available for as low as a fourth-round pick.
The only issue with him is that he needs a new contract, and he could be expensive. Considering he’s already 30, the Raiders may be apprehensive to give him a contract. If his asking price isn’t too high, Las Vegas may want to add him, but they prefer to add a veteran on a short-term deal.
Can Raiders Defense Bounce Back in 2025?
The Raiders finished with a top-10 defense in 2023, and expectations were high heading into last season. The defense looked very good in training camp, but injuries quickly derailed the season.
Several starters had stints on the Injured Reserve. The Raiders still finished 15th in yards allowed, but were 26th in scoring defense. Graham is back as the defensive coordinator, but Carroll is also bringing his defensive expertise to the team.
There haven’t been any major upgrades on the roster, and it could be argued that the talent is worse following the losses of Tre’von Moehrig, Robert Spillane, Jack Jones, Marcus Epps and Divine Deablo in free agency. That said, there are a lot of young players who should improve, and just being healthy should lead to a much better defense in 2025.
