The Las Vegas Raiders are currently enjoying a month-plus break in between the end of the offseason program and the start of training camp, which rookies will report for on Sunday, July 21, and the rest of the team on Tuesday, July 23.
The Raiders have multiple concerns on both sides of the ball, but which one is worth tracking more than the others? Per The Athletic's Tashan Reed, it's at the cornerback position, where the Raiders have to find a starting solution opposite Jack Jones.
Las Vegas currently has a battle going on between Jakorian Bennett, Brandon Facyson and rookie Decamerion Richardson. Here's what Reed said about the situation:
Will someone step up at cornerback?
The Raiders have two starters set with outside corner Jack Jones and nickelback Nate Hobbs locked in as starters. The second outside cornerback spot, however, is up in the air. As it stands, it’s a three-way competition between Brandon Facyson, Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson. Facyson and Bennett both struggled with their health and performance last season and Richardson is a raw rookie, so it’s easy to understand the concern. Rather than sign a one-year stopgap, the Raiders hope the coaching staff can develop someone already on the roster into a competent starter. If that bet doesn’t pay off, the Raiders will have a significant weakness on a defense that otherwise looks to be in great shape.
All three of the competitors for the No. 2 cornerback job carry their own concerns.
Bennett had a bad rookie season that saw him get benched, Facyson is a career backup, and Richardson is a rookie, which makes him a total wild card. So far, Bennett appears to be ahead of the two, but the competition isn't over yet.
While cornerback is certainly a big concern, it isn't the team's biggest. That comes at the quarterback position, which features a battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell, neither of whom really pulled ahead during the spring.
The Raiders are going to have a good defense no matter who starts opposite Jones, but their ability to make the playoffs will depend upon what they get from the quarterback position.
