Raiders roster: 5 position battles to watch during 2021 training camp

Raiders roster: 5 position battles to watch during 2021 training camp

Slot Cornerback – Nevin Lawson, Nate Hobbs, Amik Robertson

The Lamarcus Joyner experiment at slot corner was a massive failure, and now the Raiders roster is back to looking for a mainstay at the position. Perhaps if Damon Arnette had lived up to his first-round selection they could convince Casey Hayward to play inside, but as it stands, he is competing for an outside corner role.

With Joyner’s departure, the Raiders roster now has three players competing for the position in Nevin Lawson, Nate Hobbs, and Amik Robertson. Lawson is going to be suspended for the first two weeks of the season because of PEDs, so that gives both of the young players a chance to swoop in and lock down the role.

He is the veteran of the group but could see himself on the outside looking in.

Robertson was a fourth-round pick in 2020, and has the usual physical profile of a nickel corner, but played primarily outside at Louisiana Tech. He played sparingly last year and was clearly not ready for the NFL stage but a true offseason could help him grow into the role.

Nate Hobbs was a fifth-round pick this year, and many pegged him as the surprise player in minicamp, and he could compete for the role as well. Hobbs is bigger than both Lawson and Robertson, so his size could be a factor in winning the job if he can learn the intricacies of playing inside.

No matter how this shakes out, it should be a fun battle to watch in camp and the preseason.