Eagles acquire Jakorian Bennett: Exploring its impact on cornerback competition; reasons behind Raiders' decision to part ways
Jakorian Bennett Traded from Raiders to Eagles for Thomas Booker IV
The Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles have made a player-for-player swap, with the Raiders trading cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Eagles in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV.
The trade was primarily aimed at addressing team positional needs and system fit. The Raiders sought to improve their defensive line depth, specifically aiming to replace or supplement players like Christian Wilkins, as well as to manage injury concerns such as Fotu being in a walking boot. Meanwhile, the Eagles, having depth in the defensive tackle position, traded Booker to strengthen their secondary with Bennett, who was regarded as a proven cornerback commodity but represented a position where the Eagles had greater depth.
Jakorian Bennett, a 2023 fourth-round pick, had contributed significantly to the Raiders' secondary but suffered an injury in 2024. Given the new Raiders coaching staff and system changes, Bennett's role may have been less assured, creating an opportunity for the trade. Thomas Booker, who was on the Eagles' practice squad in 2023 but had good preseason performance and played in all 21 of Philadelphia's games in 2024 as a rotational defensive tackle, offered the Raiders a chance to bolster their defensive front and earn more playing time than he likely would have in Philadelphia’s deep defensive line group.
In Philadelphia, Bennett will be integrated into the competition for the starting outside cornerback job. He will be competing with Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson for the outside cornerback job opposite of Quinyon Mitchell. Last season, opposing quarterbacks had a 52.1 passer rating with Bennett in coverage, allowing zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. However, Bennett was the most consistent cornerback in Raiders' training camp but was beginning to lose confidence. The Eagles acquired Bennett for his cover skills, as coach Nick Sirianni stated.
The acquisition of Bennett adds depth to the Eagles' cornerback position, which is currently up for grabs. Adoree' Jackson received around 60% of the first-team snaps in Tuesday's practice, but Kelee Ringo and Jackson have had up-and-down performances in camp so far. The Eagles are considering getting outside help due to the close competition at the outside cornerback position.
Jakorian Bennett is more of a cover corner than a tackler. He allowed 4.4 yards per attempt as opposing quarterbacks completed only 45% of their passes thrown his way. However, he isn't graded well as a tackler (185th out of 207 cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus).
The outside cornerback job is a full-time opening, with Cooper DeJean dropping down to the slot in nickel defense. Brandon Hunt (vice president of player personnel) and Anthony Patch (senior personnel executive) from the Eagles are part of the Raiders' new front office, which could potentially have an impact on the Raiders' cornerback depth chart.
The trade of Bennett to the Eagles and the acquisition of Booker IV by the Raiders is a strategic move by both teams to address their respective positional needs and improve their rosters.
The trade of Jakorian Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles by the Las Vegas Raiders is a strategic move aimed at strengthening both teams' rosters, with the Raiders aiming to improve their defensive line depth and address injury concerns, while the Eagles seek to bolster their secondary. In Philadelphia, Bennett will compete for the starting outside cornerback job with Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson. The trade follows the close competition at the outside cornerback position in Philadelphia, with performances in camp so far being up-and-down. Bennett is a cover corner more than a tackler, allowing 4.4 yards per attempt, and his acquisition by the Eagles is for his cover skills, as their coach Nick Sirianni stated. The NFL sports season is approaching, with the Raiders and Eagles aiming to make their mark in the NFL, just as the news of this trade has created general excitement among football fans.
