Raiders Position Battles: Richardson vs. Bennett

The battle for the Las Vegas Raiders' CB2 spot is wide open, and the team could opt for a young talent in Decamerion Richardson or Jakorian Bennett.

Bills running back James Cook tries to run outside of Raiders Jakorian Bennett. / Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

Training camp begins in just a few weeks for the Las Vegas Raiders. 

After last season's ending, many members of Raider Nation are highly anticipating watching the Silver and Black emerge with new energy in 2024. 

The Raiders re-discovered their franchise’s identity when Coach Antonio Pierce took over midway through 2023 and will look to carry that energy into the new season. 

When training camp begins, every player will have to earn a starting spot or a definite role with the team. Outside of a few players, no starting spot is guaranteed. 

The Raiders face questions in their secondary. Those questions could be answered in training camp as players compete for snaps.

Las Vegas has an intriguing battle for their second outside corner spot. Jack Jones should hold down one spot, while Nate Hobbs will handle the slot. Who lines up on the opposite boundary of Jones has yet to be determined. 

There are two players who could compete for the spot and be considered long-term options in the secondary: second-year man Jakorian Bennett and rookie Decamerion Richardson. 

Bennett played early in his rookie season, but injuries and rough play limited him for the rest of the season. Richardson was a fourth-round selection out of Mississippi State. 

Both corners have intriguing physical profiles and are relatively unknown. Bennett posted 32 total tackles and three passes defended, while Richardson posted 43 total tackles and seven passes defended in his senior season with the Bulldogs. 

Seventh-round rookie M.J. Devonshire and veteran Brandon Facyson could also be considered for this role. Still, it will likely come down to a player who had an opportunity to play early last season and the highest-drafted corner from the 2024 class. 

Bennett showed promise when he was on the field in the first four games of the season but was hampered by a shoulder and hamstring injury. He has the speed, athleticism, and explosiveness to match up with NFL-caliber receivers and will have the chance to prove it in his second season. 

Richardson also has the speed and athleticism to be a threat against the league’s faster receivers. However, he did not make too many plays on the ball in college, something he will need to do more of in the league. 

It’s hard to say who could have the edge at this point because training camp has not yet started and both corners are incomplete evaluations as of now. 

But this battle should be interesting to follow once training camp gets underway.

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