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Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson (18) eyes the ball against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0) to attempt to catch the ball during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

The Raiders' Most Pressing Questions on Defense

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense has been their strength over the past two seasons, as their offense routinely struggled to figure things out on Sundays. Two seasons ago, the Raiders took one of the lowest-paid defenses and made it one of the best in the league under Antonio Pierce.

This past season, the unit was hit with a rash of injuries that forced them to play a high number of young players. The Raiders used a lost season to get ample playing time to players who would have typically not received such an opportunity. However, the experience did not translate to wins.

The Raiders' defense entered the offseason needing help at multiple positions, and that was before losing two starting linebackers, a starting cornerback, and a starting safety. Las Vegas added defensive backs in free agency. Still, questions will remain until they take the field.

The Pro Football Network recently analyzed every team's biggest question on defense. They rightfully believe the Raiders' most significant concern on the defensive side of the ball is their depth in their defensive backfield, as the unit has sustained a massive hit in free agency.

"The Las Vegas Raiders will have a very different-looking secondary in 2025. That’s not the worst thing considering the Raiders finished 19th in pass defense success rate, but there are questions about how complete the personnel is entering the draft," PFN said.

"The Raiders lost durable starting safety Tre'von Moehrig and slot corner Nate Hobbs in free agency. Jeremy Chinn should step in for Moehrig, and former [Green Bay] Packers first-rounder Eric Stokes is a decent flier if he stays healthy, but the cornerback room is largely unproven, while Chinn has considerably less range than Moehrig as a deep safety."

The Raiders already have a couple of talented cornerbacks on the roster but could undoubtedly use more in a league that is becoming more pass-heavy by the season.

"Neither Jakorian Bennett nor Decamerion Richardson played more than 20 snaps in the slot last season, so the Raiders need a replacement there for Hobbs. The issue is that the sixth overall pick would be rich for a cornerback (assuming Travis Hunter is off the board), meaning the Raiders likely wouldn’t address this need until their second-round pick (37th overall) at the earliest," PFN said.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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