Ryan McFadden
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders are trading cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Booker, a fifth-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2022, will provide depth for the Raiders’ defensive line following the release of Christian Wilkins, who has been recovering from a Jones fracture that he suffered last October. Last season, Booker played in 17 games (one start) for the Eagles, totaling 18 tackles and a sack.
The 25-year-old was a member of the Eagles’ practice squad in 2023, after playing 10 games in Houston as a rookie.
In Las Vegas, he joins a wide-open competition as a defensive tackle. During camp, the team has rotated players like Tyree Wilson, Leki Fotu, Jonah Laulu, Zach Carter, and rookies Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues to allow them to carve out a role in the interior.
Bennett, a seventh-round pick in 2023, moves after playing 24 career games (11 starts) for the Raiders. The former Maryland standout played well during his sophomore campaign, which lasted 10 games after he underwent season-ending surgery on a torn labrum.
Playing primarily at outside cornerback, Bennett totaled 26 tackles and eight pass deflections. He also allowed 23 catches for 294 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 86.7 on 45 targets as the nearest defender.
Bennett said in June that this was the best he’s felt from a health standpoint since college. He played through a torn labrum before deciding to get surgery. Despite Bennett being fully healthy, he has watched himself drop in the depth chart.
Since OTAs, Bennett has played primarily with the second and third teams. Meanwhile, Eric Stokes and rookie Darien Porter have received the majority of the first-team reps. Second-year cornerback Decamerion Richardson and JT Woods have also played snaps with the starters during practice.
Last week, Bennett said he was not phased by playing mostly with backups.
“I always feel like the underdog,” Bennett said last week. “…I always had to get out [of] the mud, you know. And, man, that’s nothing I shy away from. That’s who I am. I like to persevere.”
The Eagles parted with veteran Darius Slay this offseason and have yet to solidify the starting outside corner spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
They signed Adoree’ Jackson to a one-year deal in March. He’s been splitting first-team reps with 2023 fourth-round pick Kelee Ringo. On Monday, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio indicated that no one had separated themselves in the competition.
“It’s close,” he said. “I think both of them are having a good camp, but it’s close and been happy with both of them and we’ll see.”
The trade is pending physically from both sides, according to a source.
Bennett had surgery last season to repair a torn labrum, limiting him to 10 games, but is now fully healthy.
ESPN’s Tim McManus contributed to this report.
