The NFL Draft is only weeks away and the Las Vegas Raiders have yet to add a veteran cornerback. They’ve been linked to names like A.J. Bouye and Richard Sherman, but nothing has materialized. This late into free agency, options are starting to thin out. Sherman is still an option but with money tight, it seems unlikely he’ll come to play for the team.
That could lead to the Raiders going after a player with a smaller name. According to Mike Klis, the team is working out veteran cornerback Lenzy Pipkins.
Veteran CB Lenzy Pipkins is visiting and working out with the Raiders today per source. He’s played with Colts, Browns, Packers, Lions. #9sports
Pipkins has played for the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions throughout his career. The team that he saw the most playing time with was the Packers. He played in 12 games for the team and started one of them in 2017. In 2018, he played in combined three games the Colts and Lions.
Pipkins hasn’t played an NFL game in the last two seasons. If the Raiders sign him, he certainly won’t be the game-changer that fans are hoping for.
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Are Raiders Content at Cornerback?
The fact that the Raiders haven’t signed a veteran cornerback yet is quite concerning. Damon Arnette and Travyon Mullen showed last season that they still have a ton of work to do. The two youngsters still have potential but it would be a bold move for Las Vegas to trust them.
Other than those two, the Raiders also have Nevin Lawson, Isaiah Johnson, Amik Robertson and Keisean Nixon on the roster. Lawson is the only one of those players who is over the age of 25. If the team doesn’t add another veteran, they could have one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL. That doesn’t sound like a recipe for success but it’s possible Gus Bradley could work some magic. The “Legion of Boom” was built with young players. Perhaps Bradley feels like he can replicate that success in Las Vegas.
Will Raiders Draft a CB?
If the Raiders aren’t fully committed to their current crop of cornerbacks but don’t want to spend on a veteran, they could further embrace youth and pick one in the draft. In fact, NFL insider Peter Schrager recently predicted the team would draft Greg Newsome II out of Northwestern in the first round.
Using a first-round pick on another cornerback seems unlikely. The Raiders haven’t had much luck do that over the last 20 years. That said, it’s possible to see them address the position in later rounds. It really all just depends on how Bradley feels about his current players. He could love the potential of all the young players. It’s clear that former defensive coordinator Paul Guenther wasn’t the best at developing young talent. Bradley is the complete opposite. He has an excellent track record of developing young players into stars. The Raiders could be banking on him getting the best out of the young players who disappointed under Guenther.
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Raiders Working out Former Packers, Colts Defensive Back: Report