Do Not Worry About the Oakland Raiders Defense

Aug 22, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers receiver Jarrett Boykin (11) is defended by Oakland Raiders cornerback Neiko Thorpe (31) at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Emerging Corner?

Neiko Thorpe has come out of nowhere to become the Raiders’ best healthy corner with all the injuries to the position. But he didn’t come out of nowhere to Allen as he’s been waiting for Thorpe to come back from a pulled hamstring. Allen has nothing but the best of things to say when talking about the former Kansas City Chief and Canadian football star.

He said of Thorpe in his post practice press conference on Raider.com, “Really from a man-to-man standpoint, he’s done a really good job. He’s picked up on the techniques that we’re teaching him. I think his physical ability gives him the opportunity to have success. This guys a big corner, he has long arms, he’s rangy, he can run and I think he has corner skills and really, he’s got a corner’s mindset.”

At 6’1″, 200 pounds with those long arms, that’s a big corner then with a 4.39 40-yard dash he really can run. He also has a 38-inch vertical leap and agility to go with the height and length to complete that corner skill-set. And of his mindset, Allen said, “There’s a little bit to that sense of confidence, maybe a little air of arrogance, knowing you can go out and cover guys and he’s got it.”

When Chekwa and Hayden come back to join Thorpe, Carlos Rodgers and Tarrell Brown could be cut.