Raiders’ cornerback situation in flux after 4 games
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Sean Smith is in the second season of a four-year, $38 million contract. He is fully guaranteed $9.5 million in 2017.
David Amerson is in the second season of a $33.9 million deal. He makes $8.5 million in 2017.
Rookie Gareon Conley is in the first season of a four-year, $10.5 million contract. He collects $6.2 million this league year.
These are the top cornerbacks on the Raiders’ payroll. They’ve played three snaps together in four games.
Amerson, the most active contributor of the three, was limited in practice Thursday, as he navigates through the NFL’s return-to-play protocol for a concussion he suffered Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Conley, who did not face Denver because of a shin injury, returned to practice as a limited participant. The Raiders will disclose both players’ statuses Friday for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The present is murky at the cornerback position. So is the future.
During a season, it is easy to grow engulfed in the day-to-day developments surrounding a 53-man roster. But the truth is that major personnel decisions are being considered, too, with the front office and coaching staff evaluating players and position groups. Four weeks into a 16-game regular season, what has transpired at cornerback is glaring enough to address before Joe Flacco comes to town.
Decisions, after all, await this offseason.
Smith, 30, spent 2016 working to find a rhythm as a free-agent arrival. That work continues.
He missed Week 2 to a shoulder injury and, a few days later, was added to the injury report with a neck injury. He was assigned a limited subpackage role against the Washington Redskins in Week 3, matching up with tight end Vernon Davis in man coverage. Smith played three snaps and ceded two catches on two targets for 44 yards, including a touchdown.
Smith is due an $8.25 million salary in 2018. Not helping to clear the cloud surrounding his Raiders future, he is involved in a criminal case for alleged felony assault and battery in the Los Angeles area.
Amerson, 25, continues to recover from Sunday’s concussion. It’s not his first.
The former Washington Redskins’ second-round pick was first diagnosed with one in the NFL in 2013 as a rookie. The most recent concussion in Denver became his third in less than 13 months, as he was determined to have suffered one Aug. 26 in an exhibition versus the Dallas Cowboys and Sept. 18, 2016, against the Atlanta Falcons.
Concussion research is very much ongoing; work remains before its long-term effects are fully understood.
But enough is understood to know brain injuries aren’t to be taken lightly. Amerson watched Thursday as teammates participated in individual drills. His $5.5 million salary next season is guaranteed for injury. It will become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster March 16, 2018.
Conley, a rookie first-round pick, is sure to be part of the Raiders’ future.
He’s still working to distance himself, however, from a shin injury he suffered June 16 in minicamp. He missed all of training camp, the entire preseason and Weeks 1 and 4 to the ailment. On Monday, coach Jack Del Rio said that he chose to rest Conley versus the Broncos because of soreness.
T.J. Carrie leads Raiders cornerbacks with 247 snaps. That’s 52 more than Amerson (195) and 44 more than Smith (111) and Conley (92) combined. Go figure: Carrie is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.
Four games of evaluation down. At least 12 to go.
The stretch starts versus Flacco, who has a career-low 65.3 passer rating.
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
