If it weren’t for the fact that Lamarcus Joyner would have cost the Raiders more against the cap if they had cut him, he probably wouldn’t have made the 2020 roster with his $9.2 million cap number.
When the Raiders drafted Amik Robertson in the fourth round of this year’s draft it looked like the writing was really on the wall for Joyner – at least in terms of legitimate competition for his job. In the long term that might be the case, but as of now, Joyner still seems to still have a firm grip on the job at nickel cornerback.
“[Amik Robertson] hasn’t done anything that’s jumped out that I saw, but he also hasn’t made any glaring mistakes,” The Athletic’s Tashan Reed wrote on Thursday. “He’s worked solely at backup nickelback and the Raiders appear to be bringing him along slowly. There’s no battle for the starting nickelback job: It’s Joyner’s. I wouldn’t expect to see Robertson too often on defense this year.”
The job may belong to Joyner now, but he’ll still need a better year in 2020 than he had in 2019. If that doesn’t happen it’ll be hard for the coaching staff not to give more game reps to the younger Robertson.
For what it’s worth, Joyner is in the second year of a four year, $42 million deal he signed in 2019. His 2021 cap number is $11.2 million and his 2022 cap number is $11.3 million, according to Spotrac.
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I think they are forcing Joyner to be something he isn’t because Guenther believes he can play slot corner. I don’t think he will do any better than last year. He is saying that he’s more comfortable in the second year of Guenther’s defense, but I don’t see how not being able to cover anyone is a matter of discomfort in a defensive scheme. He was a better safety and maybe they shouldn’t try to make him something he is not.
He wasn’t that good of a safety either. It may be time to move on from him.
Joyner isn’t a corner. He is a free safety. He can play corner but it’s not his best position. Round peg in a square hole. I really have serious doubts about Guenther and his playbook. Not sure he is the D coordinator that will take the Raiders to the promised land