Getty Former Raiders CB Gareon Conley.
The Las Vegas Raiders have had several big misses in the first round of the draft over the last decade, and one of the biggest was taking cornerback Gareon Conley in 2017. The former Ohio State star only lasted two and a half seasons with the team before getting traded to the Houston Texans.
He last played an NFL game in 2019 and made his return to football this year with the DC Defenders of the UFL. It appears that may have opened the door for a potential return to the NFL.
According to a June 11 X post from the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken, Conley landed a workout with the Dallas Cowboys.
Cowboys worked out four UFL players today: CB Gareon Conley, CB Deandre Baker, LB Noah Dawkins and LB Willie Harvey. Conley (2017, Raiders) and Baker (2019, Giants) are former first-round picks. They are soon eligible to sign an NFL contract; UFL season concludes Sunday.
Conley was last on a roster in 2020, so he’s been away from the NFL for four years. However, he was highly touted coming out of college and is 28. There could still be some potential there if the Cowboys decide to sign him.
Conley had 2 interceptions and 25 tackles in his lone season in the UFL. If the NFL does not come calling, it’s possible that he’ll continue to play in the UFL. At 28, he only has a few years left of his athletic prime, so this could be his last chance to jump back to the NFL.
Las Vegas Raiders Could Be in Market for CB
It’s unlikely the Raiders would consider Conley as a free agent addition, but the team does appear to have an interest in signing a cornerback. The team was considering signing veteran cornerback Steven Nelson before he decided to retire, per a June 9 X post from KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson.
That likely indicates that the Raiders are eyeing the position. Jack Jones was impressive last season with 2 interceptions and 37 combined tackles and should have one of the starting spots locked down but it remains to be seen who will be the other starting outside cornerback.
Jakorian Bennett has been getting first-team reps at practice, but the team had him as a starter last season before he was benched. Rolling into 2024 with Bennett as the starter again would be a big risk. The Raiders don’t need to go after a flashy name like Stephon Gilmore or Patrick Peterson but they should consider adding a veteran cornerback in some capacity.
Las Vegas Raiders CB Coach Has Message for Jakorian Bennett
Bennett has a lot of potential and the Raiders clearly like him. However, he hasn’t proven he can be a dependable cornerback in regular season games. Though he was benched last season, he still has a chance to have an impactful career.
Raiders cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. had a message about what Bennett or any player who has struggled needs to focus on.
“Work. Just keep grinding,” Manning said during his June 4 media availability. “I tell those guys, in your situations, there are going to be times it doesn’t look the way you want it to look. What are you going to do about it? What’s going to be your response?
“How you respond is everything. You got to go out there and grind. Sometimes the thing in between your ears, your mind, messes you up, right? Don’t worry about that. Forget the outside noise, forget the inside noise, and just go to work. If you can get better just a little bit each and every day, then you’re going to be alright.”