As the Las Vegas Raiders prepare to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, their No. 2 cornerback position remains unsettled. Darien Porter and Hezekiah Masses are competing to start on Sunday afternoon at cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Porter said Thursday before practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center: 'It’s obviously made both of us better and helped us play at our best week in and week out.' He added: 'I think it’s helped both of us, and I enjoy the competition a lot. … Makes him play better. Makes me play better.'
Coach Klint Kubiak confirmed this week they’re competing to start against Buffalo, for which former NFL MVP Josh Allen quarterbacks one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said: 'Competition is competition. The physicality. Style of play. Finishing violent through the pocket. The beautiful thing about competing is it’s every play, every period. … It’s been going like that (at cornerback) the previous weeks as well.'
Porter, a second-year, third-round draft pick, won the job during training camp, but a Week 1 injury paved the way for the rookie fifth-rounder to start Weeks 2, 3 and 4. On Sunday against the New England Patriots, Porter played 50 defensive snaps compared with 25 for Masses. Porter played two snaps against Kansas City but was thrust into action against New England, finding the form that helped him hold off Masses during training camp.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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