Following the roster cutdown to get from 90 players to 53 players, the Raiders made three more additions to the roster. Two of those were defensive backs. Both of whom have something in common — position versatility.
The first addition was undrafted rookie Thomas Harper, who was waived by the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 5-10, 195-pounder is a safety by trade, and his role could be dependent upon where he is needed.
“He does have a skill set to play both safety and nickel position,” Antonio Pierce said of Harper.
“I like his play style. What I saw on film was a guy with a burst, aggressiveness, kind of controlling the back end as a young player. I watched him in college. You just saw a guy each and every week get better in the preseason. And again, whatever you can do to keep building depth in every room, especially in the secondary for us, is critical.”
Not long after, after placing Brandon Facyson on injured reserve, they added cornerback Darnay Holmes.
Over four seasons with the Giants, he showed the ability to play both inside and outside cornerback. The inside cornerback spot for the Raiders was especially a need.
“Yeah, position flex. I mean, that’s key for us, right?,” said Pierce. “Really, the only guy we got that can go inside-outside or outside-inside is Nate Hobbs. So, when you can add another player like that . . . It makes us a better overall unit.”
Darnay has something in common with Jack Jones as well. In that he and Pierce go way back.
“I’ve known Darnay [Holmes] since he was 13,”Pierce added. “I coached him on the 7-on-7 team when he was a freshman. I know his father, I know his family well, followed him throughout his career, spoke to him throughout his college process.”
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham knows him as well. Graham was the DC in New York when the Giants drafted Holmes in the fourth round and coached him for two seasons before joining the Raiders in 2022.
Depending on how quickly Holmes can get up to speed, he could soon be the next man up at cornerback after the starting three of Hobbs, Jones, and Jakorian Bennett.
While Harper will more likely focus on special teams alone while he has several players ahead of him on the depth chart at both safety and at the nickel, including Isaiah Pola-Mao who plays both positions as well.