The Las Vegas Raiders made several disappointing roster decisions this offseason, especially as it pertained to the back half of their defense. Gone now are starters like Tre'Von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones and Robert Spillane, all of whom played pivotal roles last season in Las Vegas.
Fortunately, the team retained defensive coordinator Patrick Graham under new head coach Pete Carroll, the former of whom is a savant at developing linebackers, and the latter of whom has an illustrious track record of being a defensive back guru.
Most of the hype this offseason has surrounded returners like Jakorian Bennett or Isaiah Pola-Mao, new additions like the versatile Jeremy Chinn and Jamal Adams, or rookies like Darien Porter. However, another Raiders cornerback is showing out at training camp in Las Vegas.
Decamerion Richardson flashing potential at Raiders training camp
In the 2024 NFL Draft, Las Vegas selected cornerback Decamerion Richardson from Mississippi State in the fourth round. He was taken with the understanding that he was going to be a project, but various injuries thrust him into action as a rookie.
Richardson did not fare incredibly well during his first professional campaign. In fact, the last time he took the field, he relinquished the bulk of Quentin Johnston's 13 catches for 186 yards in the 2024 season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, in just one short offseason under Carroll, Richardson seems to be taking a major step forward. On Sunday, The Athletic's Tashan Reed reported that Richardson was running with the first-team defense and had an impressive pass breakup in the end zone against Dont'e Thornton Jr.
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This was not just a flash in the pan, however, as Levi Edwards of Raiders.com reported that Richardson made another great play in the red zone the following day. This time, he intercepted a Geno Smith pass that was intended for Tre Tucker.
Edwards also shouted him out for blanketing star tight end Brock Bowers in coverage despite the First-Team All-Pro still reeling in the catch. For a player that did not have much hype heading into training camp, Richardson sure has put the team and fan base on notice.
Last season, he earned just a 45.6 grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 200th out of 222 qualifying cornerbacks. Granted, Richardson was in a tough situation given he had very little help beside him, and he faced off against several great receivers.
At 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds with 32 and 3/8-inch arms, Richardson has Carroll's dream physical build for a cornerback. It should only be a matter of time until the Raiders' new head coach turns his prototypical defensive back into a game-ready product that can help Las Vegas win in 2025.