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After the Las Vegas Raiders‘ win over the Indianapolis Colts, the team was hit with another controversy when rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs was charged with a DUI when he was found asleep in his car in a parking garage, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The team is aware of the charges but Hobbs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, say that what happened “does not qualify as a DUI under Nevada Law,” via Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.
The Raiders haven’t taken any action against Hobbs and it appears they will take the wait-and-see approach. In fact, the cornerback may not even miss a game. According to interim head coach Rich Bisaccia, the team is expecting Hobbs to play on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“We take [the arrest] extremely serious, organizationally and certainly within our team,” Bisaccia said after Wednesday’s practice. “Based on what we’ve learned at this time, we expect Nate to play.”
Bisaccia didn’t get too much into the matter.
“It’s a legal matter, and other than that I really have nothing else,” Bisaccia said. “We’ll leave it at that.”
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Raiders Have Pivotal Matchup Coming Up
It’s important for the legal process to play out before the Raiders can make any major decisions. When Henry Ruggs was in a car crash that led to the death of a 23-year-old woman earlier in the season, the team cut him almost immediately. Based on what Bisaccia said Wednesday, it doesn’t appear that similar action will be taken with Hobbs.
The Raiders are heading into their biggest game of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers. If they win, they go to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Chargers have a good squad and are also playing for a playoff spot. They will be coming to play and have a dynamic passing game led by quarterback Justin Herbert. There’s no doubt that having Hobbs out there will improve the Raiders’ chances of winning.
Hobbs Having a Strong Rookie Season
The news of the Hobbs charges was disappointing for the Raiders as Hobbs has been one of their most impressive defensive players this year. The fifth-round pick in the draft was a standout all offseason and earned a starting spot at the beginning of the year. He’s done nothing but play well all season.
He has yet to allow a touchdown reception in coverage and is already one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL. Losing him would be a serious blow as the Raiders already released former first-round pick cornerback Damon Arnette earlier in the season. Las Vegas must be confident in Hobbs considering he’s set to play on Sunday. Time will tell how this situation plays out but the Raiders need him to have a big game against the Chargers. According to TMZ, Hobbs won’t be due in court until some time in May.
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