Oakland Raiders 2019 53-man roster: The Cornerbacks

The 53-man roster was officially set for the Oakland Raiders on Saturday at 4pm EST. With everything finalized, we’ll take a look at what the cornerback position will look like as week one of the regular season approaches.

From top to bottom, the Oakland Raiders cornerback position feels loaded for the first time in a long time. Then again, it seems to always feel that way every summer when it comes to this position group. However, this year differs from that of years prior. That’s because there isn’t an old veteran in the ranks, which has been the case every season.

Having young players who are hungry to prove their worth will always bring about intense competition.

Veteran players usually don’t have much to prove, especially in camp because it is already known what they can do. Their worth isn’t going to be changed by performance in camp as opposed to a rookie. The Raiders finally have a chance to develop some of the players in the group to be contributors.

One of those players is preseason standout Keisean Nixon, an undrafted free agent.

The fact that Nixon was able to make the 53-man roster just shows how tight the competition was at cornerback. No one could afford to slouch or commit errors. Just ask Nick Nelson, who Nixon beat out.

The Raiders did a great job gathering some talent at the position to raise the stakes at the position. Even Nevin Lawson, who is the veteran of the group, brings some heat to the pot.

Lawson had been a starter for the Detroit Lions for the last four seasons. That alone is a great sign that he is a solid player. To retain a starting position at the second hardest position in football should not be taken for granted.

Having him as the third or fourth corner gives the Raiders great depth when he returns from suspension. All in all, the competition for the cornerbacks seemed to have elevated everyone’s play.