Raiders trade away Jakorian Bennett in exchange for defensive tackle

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0) speaks to media during an NFL minicamp practice at Raiders headquarters in Henderson, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Photo by: Wade Vandervort

The Raiders had a need at defensive line after the release of Christian Wilkins and a logjam at cornerback with several newcomers fitting the defensive back profile preferred by new coach Pete Carroll.

They hope they addressed both areas with a trade made with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles Monday night. The Raiders will send third-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Eagles in exchange for fourth-year defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Booker was originally a fifth-round pick taken out of Stanford by the Houston Texans, appearing in 10 games his rookie season. He was released before the 2023 season and signed to the Eagles’ practice squad, where he stayed until earning a minor rotational role last year.

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound 25-year-old appeared in 17 games and logged 166 snaps with one start during the Eagles’ Super Bowl season in 2024.  

But Philadelphia had a stacked defensive line and his role diminished as the season went on. Booker should have more opportunities with the Raiders as he could immediately compete for major playing time.

Among the interior defensive linemen already on the roster that Las Vegas is planning to use to make up for the absence of Wilkins are pass-rushing specialist Adam Butler, second-year riser Jonah Laulu, free-agent acquired Leki Fotu and fourth-round rookie Tonka Hemingway.

Bennett has been a more productive NFL player than Booker as he overcame a rough rookie season to stand out in seven starts to begin last season.

The 24-year-old out of Maryland was then sidelined by a torn labrum, but said he was fully recovered going into training camp two weeks ago.

Bennett had been the Raiders’ most consistent cornerback through 10 practices, but he nonetheless appeared to fall out of favor with Carroll and his staff.

His stature might be the only reason, as Bennett was the smallest cornerback on the team at a list 5-foot-10, 200 pounds.

Carroll is known for employing bigger defensive backs, and has openly expressed his preference since coming to the Raiders earlier this year.

Bennett had slipped to the third string in recent practices with position-mates like Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Decamerion Richardson and JT Woods all receiving more playing time.

“I don’t want to forget who I am,” Bennett said after a practice last week. “I can be going with the ones, twos, threes, whatever it is, but at the end of the day, I know who I am, I know what type of player I am, the only type that I can be.”

Bennett showed he was an NFL-caliber player last year, and the Raiders were wise to extract some value out of him if they didn’t have plans to use him.

The alternative would have been not including him on the initial 53-man roster on Tuesday August 27, when Bennett would have definitely been claimed by another team with no compensation.

Booker also potentially might not have made the Eagles’ roster. The trade lands both players in better spots to contribute this season.

Bennett will surely be behind Eagles’ returning starters Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean on the depth chart, but he might be next in line to play after the duo of highly-drafted second-year players. That’s more than he had done with the Raiders over the last week.

 “It’s nothing that I haven’t been through before,” Bennett said after dropping down the depth chart. “In high school. I only started one year, my senior year then going (to junior college) and going to Maryland, I always feel like the underdog. Not saying I’m an underdog right now, but more so, I’ve always had to get out of the mud. That’s nothing I shy away from. That’s who I am.”