The Las Vegas Raiders continue to look for long-term solutions at the cornerback position. For a moment, Jack Jones looked like he could be a star for the team.
During the 2023 season, he played some of his best football and caught two interceptions that both went for touchdowns. He started 16 games for the Raiders the following year, and while he did get three interceptions, he wasn’t consistent enough in coverage.
He spent the 2025 season with the Miami Dolphins, but they decided against bringing him back. After waiting around for weeks in free agency, Jones has finally found a new home. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the veteran cornerback is signing with the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have been very good at identifying veteran talent, so this is an interesting landing spot for Jones. He’ll have a chance to compete for a starting job.
Jones is a very talented player, but mental mistakes have held him back. Having a fresh start with a strong 49ers defensive culture could be very good for his career. New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has a lot of experience working with defensive backs, so he should work closely with Jones heading into the 2026 season.
Raiders Still Need CB Help
Similar to the 49ers, the Raiders may want to consider adding a veteran cornerback. Eric Stokes is penciled in as one of the starters, but the depth behind him is concerning. Darien Porter showed promise as a rookie, but he needs more experience.
The Raiders would be wise to add a veteran. There are some big names like Marshon Lattimore and Trevon Diggs available. Perhaps the team could take a chance on one of them. Regardless, the Raiders need to add another veteran cornerback. Drafting a rookie isn’t going ot give them the necessary depth.
Raiders Have Surprise Need
Cornerback is the only position the Raiders will consider adding to. Based on the fact that they used a top-10 pick on a running back last year, one wouldn’t think that running back is a need for the team.
However, the Raiders don’t have a solid running mate for Ashton Jeanty. They’ve looked into Najee Harris and could also look to the draft to add another player to the room. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes that it is a “surprising” need for the team.
“The good news is that the Raiders have a ton of draft picks (10) so they can afford to take a complementary back with one of them,” Ballentine wrote. “Ideally, they’d be able to find a thumper who can execute some of the between-the-tackles work. Emmett Johnson might be a little more than that. His explosiveness would give Fernando Mendoza two home run threats to hand the ball to.
“Even settling for Jonah Coleman a little further down our big board would raise the offense’s ceiling. His biggest weakness is that he doesn’t necessarily have home run speed, but the Raiders already have a back with that.”
Running back isn’t a huge priority, but it’s easy to see why the Raiders would want to make an addition.
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