The Las Vegas Raiders' secondary was the talk of the offseason, as the new leadership tandem of John Spytek and Pete Carroll restructured the unit. New faces like Eric Stokes and Darien Porter were brought in to supplement inexperienced returners like Kyu Blu Kelly and Decamerion Richardson.
While most fans were expecting the defensive backfield, and the cornerback position in particular, to be a gaping hole on an otherwise stout Las Vegas defense, the group has exceeded expectations through four games of the 2025 NFL season.
Stokes, unfortunately, was forced to leave late in the game due to a knee injury in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears, opening the door for Porter to get an extended look in a meaningful moment of the game for the first time in his young career.
Darien Porter receives praise for stepping up following Eric Stokes' injury
While the veteran cornerback is expected to be back in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, the rookie's play should lead to an increase in snaps. Porter has not received much playing time this season, as he has been on the field for just 33 defensive snaps, which is just a 12.9% share.
Porter's first 16 snaps came in Week 3 with the game out of reach, but he was on the field in crunch time on Sunday following the injury to Stokes. The rookie cornerback played well, and he even earned some praise from former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison, who spoke on the Locked on Raiders Podcast.
"I've seen a lot of guys rise up to the top, especially in these situations, man. Eric Stokes goes down, Darien Porter goes in," Morrison said. "We didn't mention his name, but guess what? The dude played lights-out football. Opportunities, what are you going to do when you get them?"
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Porter has played well in limited opportunities, as his 75.7 Pro Football Focus grade leads the Raiders' cornerbacks and ranks 19th among 164 players at the position. While Stokes, who has posted a 63.6 PFF grade, is expected to play in Week 5, the rookie should still see his playing time rise.
Kelly and Darnay Holmes have both struggled through four games, posting 57.0 and 49.8 grades, respectively. It would not be a surprise to see Porter eventually pass Kelly on the depth chart, as it will be tough to supplant Stokes, given how well he is playing.
If Porter can continue to play at the level he has been, then he'll continue to get credit from analysts, former players and all those who watch. But more importantly, his role should expand, and he can help the Raiders win while providing another solid building block for the future.