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Back in late April, as the NFL draft progressed through the first set of picks, the Raiders were thrown for a loop, when not only was potential No. 13 pick target Michael Penix Jr. plucked by the Falcons with the No. 8 pick, but a whopping six quarterbacks—even Bo Nix, for crying out loud—were taken in the Top 12 picks.
The consensus had been that if the Raiders did not take a quarterback at No. 13, they would address the long-term issue at cornerback, and pick one of the many talented options available at that spot. Instead, though, the temptation to take game-changing tight end Brock Bowers was too much, and the Raiders grabbed him there.
The Raiders did not return to their need for corner help until the fourth round, picking Decamerion Richardson out of Mississippi State, and then taking MJ Devonshire out of Pitt in the seventh round.
With that in mind, the folks at Bleacher Report are again pleading with the Raiders to make the obvious move: Sign veteran star corner Stephon Gilmore.
Raiders CBs Come With Plenty of Risks
In an article titled, “6 Post-June 1 Moves That NFL Teams Should Make Before Training Camp,” Matt Holder of B/R writes that Gilmore just makes sense for the Raiders. And they can afford it, with ample cap space now added to the books thanks to the cutting of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
No doubt, Garoppolo was a mistake. But why not turn lemons into lemonade, and sign Gilmore with the money earmarked for Jimmy G?
“The Raiders are going to get an additional $24 million of cap space once Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract comes off the books next week, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. So, they could be waiting to get more breathing room before adding another veteran, especially since they might be looking to extend a few in-house players who are coming up on contract years like Tre’von Moehrig and Malcolm Koonce.
“Either way, the Silver and Black could use Gilmore to fortify their defense.”
He is right on that. The Raiders lack reliable known commodities in the defensive backfield. Nate Hobbs is a veteran but the Raiders are sorting through how to use erratic cover man Jack Jones and disappointing Jakorian Bennett, who had a rough go in his rookie year after he was a fourth-rounder in 2023. Jones is likely to be the starter as things stand.
Stephon Gilmore Has a Star History
Gilmore has the resume, no doubt. He has amassed five Pro Bowl appearances, two first-team All-Pro selections, a Super Bowl ring and a Defensive Player of the Year during his 12 seasons in the NFL.
Yes, Gilmore is 33 and coming off a shoulder injury that he tried to play through back in January. He subsequently had surgery on the shoulder, though he should be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
Forget all of that, though. Gilmore showed last year in Dallas that he can still be a shutdown corner. He allowed a passer rating of 82.7 when balls were thrown his way, which is the highest of his career but still a dependable number for a starting corner.
And, yes, the Raiders likely want to see what Jones can do with a clear shot to start. They want to see if Bennett can improve on last year’s rough rookie showing.
But they also want to win, and they want to win now. If they’re wrong about Bennett and/or Jones, it could cost them games. That’s the problem. And Gilmore would ensure that the Raiders defense will be able to withstand the ups and downs those two might present.
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