Oct 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0) blocks a pass intended for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Raiders Defender Predicted to Take the Next Step

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Mar 19, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense sustained significant losses in free agency with the departures of Tre'von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs. Although they added Eric Stokes, Lonnie Johnson and Jeremy Chinn to help fill the voids left by Moehrig and Hobbs, losing multiple starters is never ideal.

Despite their injury-riddled 4-13 campaign, Las Vegas still had one of the best up-and-coming cornerbacks in the National Football League, Jakorian Bennett, on their team.

"The Las Vegas Raiders finished with a C- grade in PFSN’s Defense+ metric. They were decent against the run, but the unit wasn’t great at defending the pass. Despite the struggles, one bright spot was the improvement of cornerback Jakorian Bennett," PFN said.

"Bennett appeared in 10 games in 2024, seven of which were starts. He recorded 26 tackles and 8 pass breakups. He was targeted 45 times as the nearest defender, allowing a -10.2% catch rate over expected and an 86.9 passer rating, according to Next Gen Stats."

PFN explained how Bennett had made significant improvement from his rookie season to this past season although he played in fewer games this season.

"Bennett was on pace to have a significantly better statistical year than his rookie season, but a shoulder injury cut his sophomore season short. He played just over 70% of snaps, but he could be in for a larger role in 2025 if he stays healthy. His physical profile, coupled with his production, could bode well for a full-on breakout season next year," PFN said.

It must be noted that Bennett was playing some of the best football of any cornerback in the league at the time of his injury and was getting better on a weekly basis. He was growing into one of the most dependable cornerbacks on the roster, if not the most dependable, before his injury.

The Raiders' addition of f Stokes to their cornerback room to play alongside Bennett and Jack Jones. If Stokes stays healthy and plays well, and Bennett can stay healthy thoroughout the season, the Raiders could have a solid group of cornerbacks on their roster.

Still, the Raiders should consider adding another cornerback in the draft or free agency, as Bennett has missed at least three games in each of his two seasons in the league, including him missing seven games this past season due to injury.

Bennett plays well when on the field, but his injury is undoubtedly worth monitoring. Although he is the best cornerback the Raiders have on their roster, they need even more from him entering next season.

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

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