How the Raiders will Handle Darien Porter’s Absence 

Raiders’ starting cornerback Darien Porter was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Chargers. 

He suffered a foot injury in the fourth quarter of the win over the Dolphins in Week 1. Porter had a good performance before his injury. He was targeted five times and allowed just one catch for 12 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Porter was a third-round pick in the 2025 draft, and he played in all 17 games last season while making 10 starts. But he was part of a defense that struggled. He failed to intercept a pass and only broke up three passes all season. 

The second-year corner managed to hold off two rookies for a starting spot to open the season. But an early injury could derail Porter’s second season and the Raiders’ plans in the secondary.

Hezekiah Masses

When Porter left last week’s game in the fourth quarter, Hezekiah Masses entered the game to make his NFL debut. The rookie cornerback was targeted on his first snap and broke up the pass. 

It is similar to what Masses did in college, where he led the country in passes defended in 2025.

Despite being drafted in the fifth round, Masses took snaps with the first-team defense on the first day of training camp, but he was never able to wrestle the starting job away from Porter. With Porter missing this week’s matchup with the Chargers, Masses will likely see the biggest increase in playing time. 

Jermod McCoy 

The other rookie cornerback on the roster was taken one round before Masses. Jermod McCoy fell to round four despite having first-round talent due to concerns over his knee injury. McCoy missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL.

McCoy didn’t play at all in the season opener, as the Raiders didn’t rotate their corners. With Porter out, Masses will get the first look at playing time, but McCoy could rotate in if the Raiders decide they want to give both rookies a chance to play. 

Head coach Klint Kubiak refused to elaborate on who would play or even if both players could see the field when asked about the cornerback position on Friday.

The Raiders likely won’t let one game sway their opinion, but Eric Stokes struggled at the other cornerback spot. He was targeted six times and allowed four catches for 58 yards. All of those marks were the highest for Raiders’ defenders. 

Stokes is the number one corner on the team, but a few more performances like last Sunday could allow Masses and McCoy to see the field without needing injuries ahead of them on the depth chart.