The Las Vegas Raiders’ secondary will look markedly different in 2025 compared to last season — and there’s a chance it could change again before the team’s opener in Brazil.
Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that “it would not come as a surprise if a cornerback addition were to be made prior to Week 1.” The Raiders have the cap space — nearly $35 million — and several veteran options are still on the market, including Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas, and Kendall Fuller. Any of them could bring immediate starting-caliber play and experience to a room that has been in constant transition since Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek took over.
A New-Look Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart
Free-agent addition Eric Stokes, a former first-round pick by Green Bay, is expected to start on the perimeter. Darnay Holmes, who filled a rotational role in 2024, appears to have locked down the slot corner position. The other boundary spot remains more unsettled.
Third-round rookie Darien Porter has impressed in camp and currently sits atop the Raiders depth chart ahead of 2024 fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson. Kyu Blu Kelly has also entered the conversation after an eye-catching preseason performance.
Per reports, Kelly received first-team reps during Tuesday’s practice. The 2023 draftee made just 12 career appearances entering this year, but his recent play has forced the coaching staff to take notice. Kelly intercepted Geno Smith during practice, jumping a route and high-pointing the ball, and earned the second-highest defensive grade on the team from Pro Football Focus in last week’s preseason game.
“Kelly was reportedly working as an outside cornerback with the starting group,” Reed noted. “If he can keep up this level of play throughout the preseason, he is going to make Spytek and Carroll’s job very difficult.”
Carroll’s Cornerback Blueprint
While the Raiders’ pass defense wasn’t a glaring weakness in 2024, Carroll’s arrival has meant a complete overhaul in both the safety and linebacker groups — and the cornerbacks are following suit. Carroll has long favored corners with specific measurables: ideally at least six feet tall with 32-inch arms.
This offseason has already seen the departures of all three 2024 starters — Nate Hobbs left in free agency, Jack Jones was released before the draft, and Jakorian Bennett was traded to Philadelphia last week. Stokes, Porter, and sixth-round rookie Greedy Vance Jr. headline the new arrivals, supplemented by returners like Richardson and Holmes.
The Riq Woolen Factor
Some eyes are already on a potential 2026 reunion between Carroll and Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, who thrived under the coach’s system in Seattle. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report suggested Woolen “would give them a major upgrade in the cornerback room” if he reaches free agency.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Pro Bowler led the league in interceptions as a rookie in 2022 and has remained one of the league’s more disruptive corners. While the Seahawks may extend him before March, his connection to Carroll makes the Raiders a natural landing spot should he hit the open market.
The Las Vegas Raiders’ Road to Brazil
For now, Las Vegas has two more preseason games to evaluate its young corners before deciding whether to dip back into free agency. The Week 1 matchup with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in São Paulo will demand a disciplined, athletic secondary.
If Porter continues his rise, if Kelly sustains his breakout form, or if the Raiders opt for a late veteran signing, Carroll’s first regular-season lineup in Las Vegas could set the tone for a defensive identity built to last.