Getty Former Raiders CB Nevin Lawson.
Sometimes a suspension can be a lot worse than just missing game time. For much of the offseason, Nevin Lawson looked set to be the Las Vegas Raiders‘ starting nickel cornerback, which is an important job in Gus Bradley’s defense. He’s mostly played on the outside throughout his career but transitioned well to playing the slot.
However, Lawson was suspended two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. The Raiders liked what they saw from rookie fifth-round pick Nate Hobbs in the preseason but would’ve likely still gone with Lawson in Week 1 if he was available. His suspension kept him out and Hobbs has looked really good over the first two weeks.
The Raiders cut Lawson as soon as his suspension was up. They wanted to bring him back on the practice squad but he’s found a job on an active roster. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Lawson is signing a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Though the Raiders are the better team, it’s not a surprise that Lawson would take a job where he’s most likely going to get a lot of playing time. It would’ve been nice to have a player with his experience on the practice squad but cornerbacks are valuable. Lawson could work his way into a starting job in Jacksonville relatively soon.
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Hobbs Is Top-Rated Rookie DB
GettyLas Vegas Raiders CB Nate Hobbs.
It’s still early in the season but Hobbs looks like the Raiders’ steal of the draft. He’s played really well in his first two career games. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s the highest-rated defensive back among rookies.
“Hobbs was one of the highest-graded players in preseason, and it’s carried over to the regular season,” Michael Renner of PFF wrote. “While he gave up catches on all seven of his targets for 44 yards, three of those receptions ended up in stops for the rookie.”
He had the tough task of defending JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and while he gave up a lot of catches, he mostly held his own against the tough wide receiver. The Raiders have to be thrilled with Hobbs who looks like he could be an impact player for years to come if he continues to improve.
Trevon Moehrig off to Rocky Start
The rookie defensive back who was supposed to make a big impact for the Raiders was second-round pick Trevon Moehrig. The safety was highly touted out of TCU and played well in training camp. There’s no reason to worry about his development yet but it has been a tough start.
Per Pro Football Focus, Moehrig is 67th rated safety in the NFL through two games. Though his grade isn’t great, he isn’t made any glaring mistakes which is a positive sign. Moehrig will be just fine. The Raiders defense is playing well right now and he’ll improve as the season goes on. He may not be making a ton of plays but he hasn’t had any major mental lapses yet.
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