Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
With the recent injury to Nate Hobbs, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ secondary has taken a big hit. The group is already allowing the sixth most passing yards in the NFL and that could get worse with Hobbs on Injured Reserve. Las Vegas recently signed veteran cornerback Tevaughn Campbell to the practice squad to add some depth but he didn’t stick with them for long.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Campbell has been poached by the Jacksonville Jaguars as they sign him to their active roster.
The Jaguars are signing CB Tevaughn Campbell to their 53-man roster off of the Raiders’ practice squad, per source.
Campbell was previously a standout in the Canadian Football League before getting a chance with the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL. He started 11 games for the team over the past two years before making his way to the Raiders for a brief stint and has yet to play in a game this season. That should change soon as he’s on the Jaguars’ active roster now. Jacksonville’s defense has put together a solid season so far and is only allowing 19.6 points a game. Campbell will be a veteran presence to a young defense and they likely plan to use him in the near future. Notably, the Raiders and Jaguars matchup in Week 9.
Patrick Graham Addresses Secondary’s Play Without Hobbs
The Raiders defense didn’t get off to the best start against the Houston Texans in Week 7. They had a hard time slowing down a lackluster offense and were down 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter. The defense was finally able to step up in the fourth quarter and shut the Texans out en route to the 38-20 win. They even contributed to the scoreboard when safety Duron Harmon took an interception to the end zone for a touchdown.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham lost one of his best playmakers when Hobbs went down but he was happy with what he saw from his secondary in Week 7.
“Well, the guys came together and fought to compete to win the game last week,” Graham said Tuesday. “And I believe, like I said before, it’s always next man up in this league and they came out there and fought, and thankfully we got the win and I know they are back at it now just trying to improve, but they were competitive on some throws. They challenged us, they got a good receiver core with Houston. So, I was pleased with what they did.”
Do Raiders Need to Add a CB?
The Raiders won’t be fortunate enough to play a second-year quarterback like Davis Mills every week. The secondary will need to be more consistent if the team is going to pull itself out of the 2-4 hole they are currently in. Hobbs should be back at some point and Anthony Averett should help now that he’s healthy.
However, the Raiders should still consider bringing in a veteran cornerback through free agency or the trade market. If they pull off a win over the New Orleans Saints this Sunday, they could be more inclined to make a move. If they lose, they may not want to give up future assets. Regardless, cornerback and safety will both be major needs in the offseason so if a good player is available in a trade, the team should strongly consider making a deal.