Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players that can earn a spot against San Francisco
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players that can earn a spot against San Francisco
Keisean Nixon- CB
Keisean Nixon looked to be the odd man out of the cornerback group in Las Vegas but he has been one of the better players this preseason. Nate Hobbs has earned the headlines and looks to be the starting nickel cornerback ahead of Nevin Lawson but Nixon has carved out a potential role on this roster as well.
Nixon has made some splash plays with excellent open-field tackling and is showing real growth in coverage. We are not expecting the Raiders to rely on him as a starter but he has shown that he can handle playing in a reserve role and has excelled on special teams.
He has even been working with the return specialists and could find a role there with the injury to Jalen Richard.
Nixon’s primary competition at the moment is Isaiah Johnson who offers more versatility as a bigger corner as he can match up better with tight ends. That ability was on display when he made two game-winning plays against the Chargers last season but Nixon’s growth could mean he wins out.
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The Raiders have some tough decisions to make in the defensive backfield with the emergence of Nate Hobbs and the addition of Casey Hayward but Nixon can lock in a spot if he plays well against San Francisco this week.