How Will Raiders' CBs Handle AFC West WRs?

The Las Vegas Raiders will face a talented crop of wide receivers in their division.

Las Vegas Raiders CB Jack Jones from OTAs / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders’ young secondary has been impressive throughout camp and the preseason.

Their cornerback group consists of 26-year-old Jack Jones, 25-year-old Nate Hobbs, 24-year-old Jakorian Bennett, and several green rookies. The oldest cornerback in the room is Brandon Facyson, who will be 30 once the season is underway.

The Raiders could have added cornerbacks through free agency and early in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they decided to bank on their in-house talent taking a step forward and playing as a formidable unit.

The Raiders are looking to compete in the AFC West. While it will be incredibly difficult to unseat the back-to-back Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, that does not mean the Raiders won’t try.

The rest of the AFC West could be much less difficult to navigate, but it will certainly still be a competitive division full of talented passing games.

So, is this Raiders’ cornerback group up to the task of stopping their rivals’ aerial attacks?

Let’s evaluate each group and see how the Raiders could fare.

The Chiefs reloaded their receiver room this offseason. However, one of their top acquisitions, Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, suffered a sternoclavicular injury that will keep him out for 4-6 weeks.

He should be back in time for the Raiders’ first match-up with the Chiefs, but he could still be working to get healthy at that point. When he is healthy, he is a dynamic downfield threat with excellent speed.

Speaking of excellent speed, first-round selection Xavier Worthy ran the fastest 40-yard dash the NFL Scouting Combine has ever seen. He should be a major factor in the Chiefs’ passing game as he builds chemistry with Patrick Mahomes.

The Los Angeles Chargers are looking for answers from their wide receiver room, but Justin Herbert is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so he should elevate that group. The Raiders must be ready for all the speed they may face. Thankfully, they have some pretty fast corners themselves.

Rookie Ladd McConkey figures to be one of the top options for Herbert, while last year’s first-round selection Quentin Johnston is looking to make a leap after a rough rookie season. Josh Palmer has been a consistently good presence for the Chargers for years.

With Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman on the coaching staff, the Chargers will likely be a run-heavy offense, so the Raiders will likely focus heavier on that.

The Denver Broncos are moving forward with Bo Nix at quarterback, who will look to connect with his new teammates as often as possible.

Courtland Sutton is one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL, and Jones will likely draw that match-up. Sutton posted 772 yards and ten touchdowns in 2023.

The Broncos also have Nix’s college teammate, Troy Franklin, a small, speedy receiver who could be an important piece of their offense. Tim Patrick will play his first NFL game since Week 16 of the 2021 season.

If Nix can play as well during the regular season as he has in the preseason, the Broncos could be a dangerous offense. The Raiders have dominated the Broncos in recent years, but they should not overlook them.

The Raiders will try to remain in the fight for the AFC West, and they will have to hold off some talented passing attacks to do that.

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