Las Vegas Raiders DC Rob Leonard makes his stance very clear regarding how he’s been handling the playing time of two young players
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a great position for the future of the team, and Rob Leonard recognizes that with Hezekiah Masses and Darien Porter.
The Las Vegas Raiders have lost four straight after starting 3-0. They’re the first team to do that since the Denver Broncos in 2021. But this franchise is still headed in a positive direction. The Raiders still have young pieces everywhere to make for a bright future.
And one of those is first-time defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, who’s coaching a very young secondary. In that secondary, a CB2 battle is brewing this season.
“It’s like any other competition. They’re competing. They’re rotating,” Leonard said of Darien Porter and Hezekiah Masses. “There’s a plan to do that, and Joe Woods and all of us are heavily involved in that… He’s [Jermod McCoy] doing well. He had a good week last week, and he’s right in the mix as well.”
Someone has to be the clear-cut starter eventually
Porter started the season as the CB2 next to CB1 Eric Stokes. But after getting injured in Week 1, Masses started in Week 2. Then, Masses had two great games in a row, and even won Defensive Player of the Week.
However, things have been like a rollercoaster since then. So, how do you balance playing time when both guys are so young? It can be tough, but eventually someone has to emerge as the clear-cut starter.
“I told the defense yesterday I’m looking at it for everybody,” Leonard continued. “There are very few, ‘Hey, Nakobe [Dean] is the starting mic. 98 [Maxx Crosby] is a defensive end.’ Everybody is competing for the job, myself included, every day. I want them to feel that because it’s true.
“There’s nothing guaranteed. I tell them, you have to put someone in a position to say, ‘How can I not play this guy? He does everything right.’ And until that happens with everybody, then competition’s on every day.”
Both have had bad moments. Both have also had really good moments. Someone has to emerge. Masses has played 144 coverage snaps, and Porter 107. Masses has been targeted 23 times; Porter 15, per Sports Info Solutions.
And Masses has allowed 11 catches for 178 yards and three TDs, while Porter has allowed six catches for 105 yards and no TDs. It’s close between the two, but the rest of the season is extremely important for both.
