Raiders trade young cornerback to Eagles for defensive lineman

The Raiders traded cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Eagles on Monday in exchange for defensive lineman Thomas Booker IV.

Bennett, 24, showed promise his first two seasons with the Raiders after being picked in the fourth round of the 2023 draft out of Maryland. But he isn’t the type of tall, lanky cornerback new coach Pete Carroll prefers. Bennett, listed at 5 feet, 10 inches and 200 pounds, played primarily with the third team in training camp. The Raiders shopped him for several weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

“Pete has been doing this a long time and he likes what he likes,” Bennett said Thursday. “So, just getting used to it, and he knows ball and he knows what he’s talking about, so I’m always open ears for him. He’s always talking to me and stuff and I take it in. I try to take it all, because he knows everything.”

Booker, listed at 6-3, 301 pounds, was selected by the Texans in the fifth round of the 2022 draft out of Stanford. The 25-year-old played in 10 games with Houston as a rookie and then joined Philadelphia’s practice squad in 2023. He appeared in all 17 of the Eagles’ regular-season games last year, recording 18 tackles and a sack in 166 defensive snaps.

Booker was drafted as a defensive end, but played the majority of his snaps at defensive tackle in 2024. He was listed as the Eagles’ second-team defensive tackle on their first depth chart, which was released Monday before the trade.

Play of the day

The offense appeared to have the upper hand in several recent practices, including Saturday’s mock game at Allegiant Stadium. But the Raiders defense struck back Monday.

One of the highlights was an interception by cornerback Eric Stokes in the end zone during 11-on-11 work in the red zone. Quarterback Geno Smith was trying to force the ball to tight end Brock Bowers, who never had a chance to make a play.

Stokes, who signed a one-year deal with the Raiders this offseason, has been consistent throughout camp. The 26-year-old seems to have one of the starting cornerback spots locked down.

The interception frustrated Smith, who slammed his helmet and was replaced on the next play by backup Aidan O’Connell.

Smith and Bowers got their revenge later, however.

Smith, on what was almost the exact same play, placed the ball on Bowers’ back shoulder and the 2024 first-round pick corralled the pass in the end zone for a touchdown.

Big adjustment

Rookie quarterback Cam Miller received a lot of reps Monday and is expected to see plenty of action in the Raiders’ preseason opener Thursday in Seattle.

Miller, a sixth-round pick, is undergoing quite the transition. The 24-year-old was a superstar at North Dakota State and picked up MVP honors after winning his second national championship in January. Now, he’s just fighting for snaps in practice.

“It’s been quite the adjustment from taking 50 reps in practice in college to a limited amount of reps now, but my mindset has stayed the same,” Miller said. “It’s making the most out of every opportunity. Every time I get a chance, I try to give the coaches every reason to not take me off the field.”

Miller said he doesn’t even need to be on the field on a particular play to get something out of it.

“For me now, it’s more taking mental reps when I’m not in, simulating like I am in the game,” he said. “I’m still making the checks behind the line of scrimmage that Geno would be making, and if I don’t make the right check, I ask myself after the play, ‘OK, why did he make that check?’ and trying to just visualize everything that’s going on when I’m not taking reps.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.