Report: Antonio Pierce of the Raiders provides a brutally honest assessment of the depth chart at cornerback with impending roster cuts.
Antonio Pierce is unsure of how to complete the depth chart at cornerback.
Head coach Antonio Pierce had another difficult decision to make after attempting to decide on the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders for the majority of the preseason. Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs are without a doubt the starting cornerback and slot cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders. The image becomes increasingly hazy on the cornerback depth chart after that. According to a tweet from ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, head coach Antonio Pierce stated as much while evaluating the team’s depth chart and their plan of action with cut-down day approaching.
This is nothing new to those who follow this franchise religiously. One of the most talked-about position battles since the Raiders training camp began was along the cornerback depth chart. The three most frequently mentioned names have been Mississippi State’s Decamerion Richardson, a 2024 fourth-round pick, veteran Brandon Facyson, and 2023 fourth-round pick Jakorian Bennett. Bennett had a 42.4 PFF score in his short playing time last season, and Facyson performed little better, receiving a 51.7 grade despite missing the most of the season due to injury.
Bennett is the front-runner for the job, but he hasn’t done enough to make a name for himself.
The Raiders need a cornerback to step up because they lack a cohesive defense.
Many head coaches in the NFL are gurus. They are the flamboyant offensive coordinator with incredible point-scoring ability. At last, they have the opportunity to emerge from behind the clipboard. That plan was hatched by the hard-charging, unflappable defensive coordinators to counter the flamboyant offensive coordinators. Pierce is not like that. Not to take away from his expertise or coaching prowess, but he was once a player.
Luke Getsy, the OC, is in his first season holding this role. As the team’s DC going into his third season, Patrick Graham has been around the league since 2009. The takeaway here is that this club does not follow the media-created narrative of a facilities whiz who will outschedule the opposition. According to Michael Canelo of the Raiders on SI, Pierce and company must have a strong enough desire for it and inspire their players to take advantage of every chance.
And I informed these guys that they had a fantastic opportunity. vying for a roster spot—and not just for the Raiders, either, really. The National Football League as a whole is involved. since we are aware that not everyone will be able to make the roster. There will be further chances with other clubs or the practice squad. It’s a huge week for them, so they are competing in front of everyone. And since we need to keep adding depth to this squad in order to have the team we want, I believe it is imperative for some of the guys who we will play—some of whom may have played in the league for two or three years as well—to demonstrate that they are capable of taking the next step.
This year, the Raiders selected Richardson and M.J. Devonshire in the seventh round as cornerbacks; both players will have to step up.