While the defensive front is of primary concern, putting the secondary on the backburner is unwise for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sure, getting defenders that suit new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s 3-4 base defensive front is of utmost importance — namely getting more teeth to the pass rush that featured Maxx Crosby as the lone consistent double-digit sack threat — cornerback merits attention of its own. For the pass rush and coverage work in unison: Rushers disrupting and wrecking the quarterback
with cornerbacks sticky in coverage giving said signal caller little to no options to throw too.
For Leonard’s defense to click, he needs defensive backs who can hold up their end of the bargain and giving the front time to operate.
Las Vegas did spend draft capital to bolster the position group over the course of the last two seasons by nabbing mid-round prospects Decamerion Richardson (fourth round, 112th overall pick, 2024 NFL Draft) and Darien Porter (third round, 68th overall, 2025 draft) and rolling with undrafted free agents this past season.
But it was a flier signing that stood out the most in that cornerback room. And general manager John Spytek, along with head coach Klint Kubiak and Leonard would be wise to bring back into the fold: Eric Stokes.
The 27-year-old first-round pick from the 2021 draft (29th overall by the Green Bay Packers) was a 16-game starter for the Raiders in 2025 and was a sticky cornerback who shadowed receivers on a modest one-year, $3.5 million deal last offseason with Las Vegas after his rookie contract expired.
Stokes’ performance merits a good-size raise — from the Raiders or another team as he’s an unrestricted free agent.
According to Pro Football Reference, the 6-foot-1 and 195-pound cornerback was targeted 60 times allowing 34 completions for a 56.7 completion percentage, 329 yards (9.7 yards per reception average) and just one touchdown. Quarterback’s throwing his way sported a 77.7 rating with Stokes totaling 53 tackles (35 solo), three stops for loss, and five pass deflections. The 2025 campaign featured several career-high marks for the Georgia product and it’s no surprise to see Stokes projected to earn a new contract that pays him $7 million in annual average salary after his modest flier deal with the Raiders.
Based on availability, familiarity, and having the size and speed profile (clocked a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine), Stokes is also a willing tackler (charted for four whiffs by Pro Football Reference) and rarely came off the field for Las Vegas notching 1,037 snaps (98 percent of the Raiders’ defense total), the cornerback is atop the free agents at the position group that are fits for Leonard’s defense. It’s not easy to find tall, physical and sticky perimeter cornerbacks and the Silver & Black would be wise to bring Stokes back into the fold.
Another outside corner on the open market that can compete and make the entire cornerback room better is Josh Jobe. I explored the familiarity and and production the Alabama product had last month over the course of the past two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. And with Kubiak now as the Raiders lead man, he can go to the Pacific Northwest pipeline. Tairq Woolen is also another Seahawks corner slated to hit the open market and Jaylen Watson is another free agent with good size, speed, and strong tackling ability from the Kansas City Chiefs, and those two would be standout perimeter defenders.
But it’ll be intriguing to see if Leonard and the rest of the defensive coaching staff have strict parameters for height, speed, and arm length the previous head coach had.
Where the Raiders do lack depth and options is at slot cornerback. The Raiders deployed veteran Darnay Holmes (unrestricted free agent) and undrafted free agent Greedy Vance in that nickel role while also dropping safety Jeremy Chinn into the slot, too. Vance may get another shot (he’s built for inside duties at 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds), while Las Vegas should give Richardson looks too as he arrived from Mississippi State with good tackling prowess.
A true slot cornerback is in order for the Raider and Spytek can go back to the flier well if he’s so inclined with Kader Kohou. Missing the 2025 season with a partially torn ACL, the 5-foot-10 and 197-pound defender was the Miami Dolphins slot corner the past three seasons showcasing the aggression, physicality, and tackling ability required to operate in shorter areas inside. In three season in Miami, Kohou racked up 180 total tackles (148 solo), 13 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and 28 pass deflections.
But due to missing all of 2025, his market valuation is relatively low at $2-3 million annual average salary. Which is ripe for another prove-it, one-year pact.
Another option in the slot for Las Vegas: Kyu Blu Kelly.
The fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 draft impressed the previous coaching staff to earn eight starts in 2025 and is an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) — making a return to to Silver & Black a formality of sorts.
The reason for this is simple: If the current team of any ERFAs offers a one-year, league-minimum tender, said player can’t negotiate with other teams and must sign the tender or sit out.
At just 24 years old (25 in May), Kelly is worth another one-year pact after a 2025 campaign that saw him rack up 40 total tackles (31 solo), one stop for loss, three interceptions, and six pass deflections. He was targeted 51 times allowing 32 receptions (62.7 completion percentage) for 460 yards and four touchdowns. And whiffed on just three tackles, according to Pro Football Reference. Kelly notched 579 snaps in the 13 games he played marking a career-high alongside his production.
While the Raiders do have intriguing younger talent in the cornerback room, an infusion of veteran presence via free agency will help the room overall. As would spending additional draft picks to amass even more talent and depth.
