Oakland Raiders: 17 burning questions heading into the 2018 season
By Brad Weiss
Who starts at the nickel cornerback position?
Arguably the biggest position battle on the defensive side of the ball, the quest for who will be the Raiders nickel cornerback will be in full battle mode this Tuesday. While both Gareon Conley and Rashaan Melvin are expected to start at the right and left corner, the nickel spot is up for grabs, and there is plenty of competition.
Both Shareece Wright and Leon Hall were brought in here to compete for the position, and they both have a ton of experience in the NFL. On the other side of the spectrum, rookie Nick Nelson has the physical gifts to be an excellent nickel at the next level, but he is still getting back from a meniscus injury.
Marcus Gilchrist is expected to compete for a starting safety job, but he has some experience in the nickel. In addition, the Raiders have five other cornerbacks on their roster, including Daryl Worley, who is a player to keep an eye on this summer, as he comes over after a successful few seasons in Carolina.
The cornerback group as a whole was atrocious last season, and this collection of players is a definite upgrade from the unit that was in place in 2017. The nickel corner is basically a starter in the NFL, due to schemes, and whoever wins the job, will have to seriously step up on a Raiders defense that is looking to turn the page from last season.