Raiders report: Rookie CB has experience against new Bears QB
Tyson Bagent was a virtual unknown in the NFL before entering in relief for the Bears on Sunday when quarterback Justin Fields injured his thumb.
One Raiders rookie has already intercepted Bagent, however.
Cornerback Jakorian Bennett sealed a Senior Bowl victory by picking off a pass from Bagent near the goal line in February.
“It really wasn’t too crazy,” Bennett said Friday. “We were in a zone, and I was just reading the quarterback and made the play.”
Bennett has shoulder and knee injuries and will not play against the Bears on Sunday, so there will be no repeat performance.
The rookie fourth-round pick was able to relay some knowledge about Bagent that he picked up during that week of practices in Mobile, Alabama.
“He’s a good, accurate passer,” Bennett said. “Very smart. And he’s a cool guy. He’s very focused. He can also run a little. He’s a very dynamic player with a good arm.”
Some of the more specific tidbits he shared with his teammates could be helpful as the Raiders try to prepare for a player many of them have never seen play.
Bagent won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II player of the year as a junior two seasons ago and set the all-division touchdown pass record with 159 in four years at Shepherd University.
He has gone from undrafted free agent in April to starting quarterback by Week 7.
“It’s very unique,” Bennett said of preparing for someone with such little high-level experience. “But we saw him in the preseason and the things he did last game. It’s just about coming up with a good game plan to take away some of their key guys and play complementary football.”
Injury report
As expected, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and cornerback Nate Hobbs were ruled out of Sunday’s game on the final injury report.
Garoppolo is still dealing with a back injury he suffered late in the first half of last week’s win over the Patriots. He was taken to the hospital to check for internal injuries, but “dodged a bullet,” according to coach Josh McDaniels.
Hobbs will miss his fourth consecutive game with an ankle injury suffered in practice before the Week 4 loss to the Chargers.
No other Raiders player will carry an injury designation into the game.
Wide receiver Davante Adams was able to practice in full Thursday and Friday despite a lingering shoulder injury, and offensive tackle Justin Herron got in his first full practice session Friday since suffering a concussion earlier this month.
The Bears’ best offensive lineman, Darnell Wright, has a chance to play after returning to practice Friday. He has a shoulder injury and is listed as questionable.
Locking it down
Cornerback Amik Robertson, who could once again play a major role Sunday with Hobbs and Bennett out, has been very good in coverage this season.
He has allowed just a 13.4 passer rating on 11 targets, the lowest among all defenders with at least 10 targets in the NFL this year.
Teammate Robert Spillane is second to only San Francisco’s Fred Warner among all linebackers with a passer rating of 53.2 allowed on coverage snaps.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.