The Las Vegas Raiders have had a very busy offseason when it comes to revamping the coaching staff and front office. However, the team has been a little less aggressive in adding veterans.
Las Vegas wasn’t a big spender in free agency and hasn’t made any notable veteran additions since trading for quarterback Geno Smith. That has led to some positions of need not getting addressed.
The Raiders’ cornerback is very young. If the season started today, there’s a good chance that Jakorian Bennett and Darien Porter would be the starting outside cornerbacks. Bennett has 11 career starts, and Porter is a rookie.
If the Raiders want to be more competitive on defense this season, they need to strongly consider adding a veteran cornerback. One cheap option could be Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II. Brandon Austin of Pro Football Network believes the Raiders should trade for the former first-round pick.
“Las Vegas’ front office should look to insert more talent and depth into this CB group,” Austin wrote. “Greg Newsome II saw his role decrease last season after taking a step back in performance. He started just three games after making double-digit starts in each of his first three NFL seasons. He also missed the final four games due to injury.
“Newsome allowed a 112.5 passer rating on 51 targets. Still, he’s just 25 years old and a former first-round pick with three solid seasons under his belt. While his future in Cleveland appears uncertain, quality cornerbacks are hard to come by, so the Raiders may be willing to take a flier on another young player with upside — and hope that a clean bill of health can help him regain form.”
More Background on Newsome
Newsome was highly touted coming out of Northwestern in 2021. He was the 26th overall pick of the Browns in the 2021 NFL Draft and started 11 games as a rookie. He stayed a consistent starter the following two years.
The Browns started to sour on Newsome in 2024, as he started in a career-low three games. He has one more year on his contract, so it might be the right time to trade him while there’s still value, especially if he’s not going to be a starter next season. The Raiders likely wouldn’t have to give up much to add him, so if he didn’t work out, it wouldn’t be a huge loss for the team.
Possible Free Agent Targets
If the Raiders prefer to scour free agency for options, there are some good players still available. James Bradberry would make a lot of sense. He’s worked with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in the past when they were both with the New York Giants.
Rasul Douglas previously played for the Raiders and is still a free agent. He’d be another cheap option. Stephon Gilmore is getting older, but he’s proven that he can still be a solid defender. He knows Graham’s system. Shaquill Griffin previously played under Pete Carroll on the Seattle Seahawks, where he made his only Pro Bowl. He’s available right now if the coach wants to reunite with him.
