The Las Vegas Raiders’ secondary—long a subject of scrutiny—may finally be turning the corner under new head coach Pete Carroll, with rookie Darien Porter emerging as a bright spot early in offseason workouts.
As Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported, Porter, a third-round pick out of Iowa State, saw extensive reps with the first-team defense during minicamp. While he didn’t produce any highlight-reel plays, Porter consistently shadowed his matchups and looked the part physically—his 6’4″ frame and 4.3-second speed make him one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in this class.
Porter isn’t alone in generating optimism. Safety Jeremy Chinn, signed to a two-year deal in March, flashed his playmaking instincts by intercepting Geno Smith on the opening snap of team drills. Though he later gave up a touchdown to rookie Dont’e Thornton, Chinn’s leadership and aggression drew praise from Carroll, who cited the veteran as a tone-setter for the young defense.
Raiders Backup defenders also showed promise. Rookie linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Chris Smith II both picked off Smith in team periods.
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While the Raiders lack proven depth—particularly after parting with Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones—the additions of Chinn, cornerback Eric Stokes, and emerging rookies like Porter suggest a more competitive and athletic group. Carroll compared Porter to former All-Pro Richard Sherman, noting their shared history of switching from wide receiver to cornerback in college.
“That’s what allows guys to think freely and be confident to make the plays and break on the ball and think ‘I’m going to get this ball; I’m not just going to defend the play,’” Carroll said. “Jeremy Chinn has really shown a lot already in leadership. Elandon Roberts has already given us confidence that can spread to the rest of the players. (Eric) Stokes has done a nice job, too; he’s jumped right up at the corner spot. So, we’re getting really good, positive things from guys that have been there before.”
“There’s a lot of similarities in the makeup of these two kids,” Carroll said. “Richard’s history is pretty bright, so I have really high expectations for how this works out with Darien.”
Porter may be raw, but in a thin cornerback room, his upside and versatility could earn him early playing time. For a Raiders team searching for defensive stability, the future in the secondary may already be arriving.