Among the issues that plagued the Las Vegas Raiders last season, pass defense was not a big one beyond a lack of causing turnovers. But as Pete Carroll comes in as head coach and looks to fashion the secondary in the image he wants, there was a lot of turnover this offseason.
And thus, there are some natural question marks as training camp gets going. Based on his history with the Seattle Seahawks, Carroll has a prototype when it comes to cornerbacks. At least 6 feet tall with long arms is the physical template, and both speed and a physical style of play are necessary.
The Raiders have multiple corners who fit, or closely fit, that profile, from incumbents Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson, to free agent signing Eric Stokes, to third-round rookie Darien Porter.
Las Vegas' larger issue is who can capably play in the slot, and that spot is still ripe for an addition, if it makes sense. As Carroll sets a competitive tone in camp, nothing will be promised to anybody, and the door will open for anyone to earn a role.
Under the radar UDFA now has clear opportunity to make the Raiders roster
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report has tabbed one undrafted rookie for each NFL team with the best chance to make the roster during training camp. For the Raiders, as could be expected, he looked toward the general uncertainty in the cornerback room.
"The Las Vegas Raiders' current cornerback setup is...not pretty", Sobleski wrote. "As of now, the team will be leaning heavily on Eric Stokes, who signed a one-year prove-it deal, and rookie third-rounder Darien Porter. Darnay Holmes, Decamerion Richardson and Jakorian Bennett remain on the roster, though none of them are coming off particularly strong campaigns.. .... This type of setup is ideal for an undrafted rookie to impress and gain traction."
It's fitting then that there's an undrafted rookie cornerback for the Raiders who landed as interesting the moment he was signed. But Sobleski noted how that equation had already changed before training camp even began.
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"John Humphrey has the traits Pete Carroll likes in his cornerbacks. He's a 6'2" cornerback with 33-inch arms to reroute receivers and shrink throwing lanes," Sobleski wrote. "Interestingly, he made it with the team longer than the more highly regarded Mello Dotson, whom the Raiders cut on Tuesday."
It is odd that the Raiders waived Dotson amid a wave of roster moves the day before their first training camp practice instead of Humphrey. But they presumably have some extra intel on him. Humphrey played four years under Chip Kelly at UCLA before transferring to USC when Kelly left to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
The door is theoretically open for Humphrey to make a serious push for a spot on the Raiders' 53-man roster, just the way Dotson was expected to. He certainly has the physical traits Carroll favors in cornerbacks.
If he doesn't win a roster spot during camp, Humphrey is automatically a strong candidate to stick around as a developmental prospect on the practice squad.