In 2021, if there was any position group for the Las Vegas Raiders that heavily relied on depth, it was the cornerbacks.
With the addition of defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and defensive backs coach Ron Milus, it attracted players to Las Vegas, especially with their previous coaching history in the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers organization.
Today, we look back on the 2021 Raiders cornerbacks.
Top Las Vegas Raiders corner – Casey Hayward
Entering his 10th NFL season Casey Hayward was a newcomer to the Raiders in 2021 and was another player that was previously on defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s defense for the Los Angeles Chargers.
This season, Hayward started all 18 games, including the playoffs. In that time, Hayward recorded 47 tackles, nine pass deflections and the team’s lone safety of the year against Miami in the 31-28 overtime victory on Sept. 26.
In total, the two-time Pro Bowler played in 94% of the defensive snaps with an additional 9% on special teams.
Hayward’s 1,091 defensive snaps were a new career-high for the veteran. In addition, the 45 special teams snaps were also the most he played since 2016.
The 2021 season marked Hayward’s fourth in the last five years where he started every possible game.
In addition, this season marked the third consecutive year with at least one interception, which came against his former team, the Chargers, in the season finale on Jan. 9.
This spring, Hayward is a free agent and is hoping to build on the numbers he posted in 2021.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders: Ranking the top 5 roster needs
Nate Hobbs
A month before last year’s NFL draft, Las Vegas traded an offensive lineman to Seattle for a fifth-round pick, which eventually became Nate Hobbs.
During his rookie season, Hobbs played in 17 of the team’s 18 games, only missing the game at Cleveland on Dec. 20 due to testing positive for COVID-19.
The 22-year-old played in 76% of the defensive snaps as he was one of three rookies to start at least nine games this season.
Hobbs recorded 74 total tackles, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, one sack and one of the team’s six interceptions.
With a veteran player like Hayward and a defensive backs coach in Ron Milus, who has coached 22 years in the NFL, Hobbs was able to benefit and learn in his first season in the NFL.
As sources are saying Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator Chris Ash is coming to Las Vegas, it will be another opportunity for Hobbs to take the next step in his sophomore season.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders roster review: Linebackers
Amik Robertson
Amik Robertson, who was the Raiders’ final draft pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, entered 2021 looking to capitalize on his rookie season as he looked to win the team’s slot cornerback position.
However, he was beaten out of the starting slot cornerback job by Hobbs and was inactive on back-to-back occasions three separate times during the season.
In total, Robertson played in 10 games and started against Chicago and Denver in back-to-back weeks for his only two starts of the year.
All of Robertson’s tackle statistics came in the early part of the season as he recorded 19 total tackles.
Heading into 2022, Robertson will have to focus on staying healthy and producing on the field as he enters the third year of his four-year rookie contract.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders roster review: Linebackers
Keisean Nixon
Keisean Nixon entered the final year of his three-year contract and unfortunately started the year the injured reserve.
Although his season started later than expected, his first action of 2021 came primarily on special teams against Chicago on Oct. 10.
During the Raiders’ four games from Oct. 10 to Nov. 7, Nixon played in 50% of the special teams snaps, seeing defensive action only on Oct. 17 against Denver.
The 24-year-old’s season would hit another snag when he suffered an ankle injury that would sideline him for two weeks against Cincinnati and Dallas.
His uptick in plays on defense would come later on in the season as Las Vegas was making their playoff push.
Nixon’s lone start of the year came on the road at Cleveland on Dec. 20 and he also saw ample playing time defensively the following week against Denver.
Though primarily as a special teams player in 2021, Nixon was able to provide depth at the cornerback position for the Raiders.
Nixon is a restricted free agent this spring, meaning the Raiders have the opportunity to give him a qualifying offer for 2022.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders roster review: Defensive ends
Brandon Facyson
Brandon Facyson started training camp with the Chargers but was not on the team’s 53-man roster. So, Los Angeles waived him and added him to their practice squad. As a result, practice roster players are free to sign with any team.
Fast forward about a month into the season and the Raiders needed depth. So, Las Vegas signed Facyson, who is another player that played under Bradley while in Los Angeles.
On Oct. 7, the Raiders added Facyson to the active roster and made his first appearance – on special teams – later that week against Chicago.
His first Raiders’ start would come against Philadelphia, when Facyson recorded nine tackles in the team’s 33-22 victory on Oct. 24.
The Jacksonville native would go on to start eight of the final 10 games and play in about 80% of the defensive snaps along with some action on special teams. Since his first start against the Eagles, Facyson played every defensive snap five times in an eight-game span.
In total, Facyson accumulated 55 tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception.
Like Hayward, Facyson is a free agent this spring.
Next Las Vegas Raiders roster review: Safeties