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The season didn’t start the way the Las Vegas Raiders wanted it to but they’ll have to move on and look ahead. In Week 2, the team will be hosting the Arizona Cardinals in what should be a winnable game. Unfortunately, they will be without starting cornerback Anthony Averett, who will be undergoing surgery on his right thumb after getting injured against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders have already signed cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, per Pro Football Network, but aren’t done adding to the position. The team has also claimed cornerback Javelin Guidry off waivers from the Cardinals, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Notably, the Raiders are playing Arizona this week and Guidry should have plenty of insight on what to expect. It’s not rare for teams to bring in players who are familiar with upcoming opponents. With Guidry getting claimed, he will have an active roster spot immediately and not have to go to the practice squad. That means that the Raiders will be making some cuts or sending some players to the Injured Reserve soon. The secondary is one of the team’s positions groups to watch this season and that is even more so the case with Averett out.
Background on Guidry
Guidry is still a young player at 24 but has a decent amount of game experience. He originally came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent of the New York Jets in 2020. He spent two years with the team and played in 28 games. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels saw Guidry play while he was with the New England Patriots so there is a familiarity there.
He only started in five of those 28 games and has yet to record an interception. He still needs work before he becomes a dependable cornerback but he certainly doesn’t lack athleticism. When Guidry was coming into the NFL Draft, he ran a 4.29 40-yard-dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. He immediately becomes one of the fastest players on the Raiders roster. While he still has work to do, that type of athletic ability is something the team can work with. He’s a smaller cornerback at 5-foot-9 so perhaps Las Vegas believes he has a future as a nickel cornerback.
Can Raiders Bounce Back Against Cardinals?
In a loaded AFC, the Raiders can’t afford to lose many games. Starting the season 0-2 might be a death sentence for their playoff chances, especially considering the Cardinals are a beatable team. Arizona is coming off a 44-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and isn’t at full strength with DeAndre Hopkins serving a suspension and J.J. Watt banged up.
This is a game at home that the Raiders should win. Losing to this Cardinals team would be a bad sign of things to come. They could always turn things around but it’s important to get some momentum building now. The Raiders played poorly against the Chargers for most of the game but only lost by five points. Los Angeles might have the most talented roster in the NFL so the Raiders shouldn’t hand their head too low. The Cardinals have a good squad but their talent isn’t at the same level as the Chargers.
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