The Las Vegas Raiders have some big decisions to make this offseason. Much of the focus will be on what to do at quarterback but there are things to figure out on the defensive side of the ball.
The team did retain Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator so he may push to keep a lot of his players from last season but there’s one player who might not have a place anymore. Cornerback Jack Jones was very much former head coach Antonio Pierce’s passion project.
He coached Jones in high school and college and knew how to push the right buttons. That said, he’s been a headache for other coaches in the past. Carroll may not want to deal with that. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that sends Jones to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
“Jack Jones is an interesting player,” Ballentine wrote in a Feb. 3 column. “He didn’t initially make an impact with the New England Patriots and was ultimately let go before he was picked up by the Raiders in 2023. He ended up being a pivotal part of the Raiders defense down the stretch that helped Antonio Pierce get promoted to head coach. However, this season some of the bloom came off the rose, as he was charged with giving up eight touchdowns in coverage.
“Still, he managed to record three interceptions and 16 passes defended. He clearly has upside, and the Bills need to find some cheap ways to add talent to their cornerback room. Kaiir Elam has been given plenty of chances to earn a more prominent role, and Rasul Douglas is an impending free agent who might be too expensive to retain.”
Raiders May Be Better off Keeping Jones
A sixth-round pick for a cornerback heading into his fourth year who started 16 games this season seems a bit low. Jones has had issues on and off the field but he’s still got a lot of potential. He was excellent for the Raiders in seven games during the 2023 season and could get back on track under a coach like Carroll who helped develop some of the best cornerbacks of the last couple of decades.
For a sixth-round pick, the Raiders are better off keeping Jones around and simply cutting him if he’s not a good fit anymore. Graham should have a very strong evaluation of him so if he wants to keep the cornerback around, there’s a good chance he’ll stay. Jones is only making $3.2 million this season and the Raiders wouldn’t have any dead cap hit if they decided to move on.
Raiders Do Need to Upgrade at CB
Jakorian Bennett proved last season that he should be a starting cornerback for the Raiders going forward. However, Jones may be better off as a CB3. Bennett may also be a better fit as a CB2.
Las Vegas should aggressively look for a true No. 1 cornerback either in free agency or the draft. As noted previously, Carroll loves great defensive backs so there’s a good chance he’ll push to add some. Slot cornerback Nate Hobbs is a free agent and the Raiders may be inclined to give him an extension.
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