The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2025 season with question marks at the cornerback position. After an offseason of competition, Kyu Blu Kelly and Eric Stokes have played the majority of snaps at cornerback. Predictably, the results have been a mixed bag.
Meanwhile there was a surprising trade in the NFL on Tuesday. The New York Jets acquired second-year cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from the Tennessee Titans by simply swapping sixth-and-seventh-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft. The Raiders should have considered making that deal.
Blu Kelly has allowed 12 receptions on 17 targets for 218 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Focus. His PFF coverage grade through Week 3 is 55.5, and Stokes’ isn’t much better at 58.9. Neither coverage player has been a massive liability, but an upgrade would benefit the defense.
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The Raiders defense ranks ninth-worst in passing (237.0 yards per game). The Washington Commanders scored 41 points against the Raiders in Week 2, including three touchdowns for their rushing attack. It’s worth mentioning Brownlee is currently PFF’s No. 1 ranked CB at stopping the run with an elite grade of 83.5 in that department. Brownlee had 17 tackles in two games for the Titans this season.
Pete Carroll has a type at cornerback and Brownlee’s measurements don’t fit the preferred profile. Brownlee is under 5-foot-10 with 31.25-inch arms and a 75.25-inch wingspan, with both measurements below the 50 percentile range among NFL cornerbacks, per MockDraftable. Carroll prefers bigger corners with athleticism.
Still, the Raiders are struggling on defense. Brownlee is a feisty cornerback on a cost-controlled rookie contract through 2027. Given the inconsistencies at cornerback, perhaps Carroll and the Raiders should have considered straying from their mold to acquire a talented young player for essentially nothing.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Should the Raiders have traded for CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr?