In a rare preseason player-for-player deal, the Raiders are trading cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Eagles in return for defensive tackle Thomas Booker, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Both players will have to pass a physical for the trade to go through, according to The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena.
Bennett, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started four games as a rookie before stepping into a bigger role with seven starts in 2024. He commanded a 71% snap share in the Raiders’ first 10 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. Despite seeming to prove himself in Las Vegas, Bennett may not have fit into new head coach Pete Carroll‘s plans for this season.
The Raiders are confident in their other cornerbacks, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, including free agent signing and projected starter Eric Stokes. Bennett had been working consistently with the Raiders’ second-string defense, per ESPN.com’s Ryan McFadden. Stokes and third-round rookie Darien Porter had been receiving most of the first-team reps, and Bennett — after an 11-start rookie season — will receive a fresh start. Two years remain on his rookie contract.
In Philadelphia, Bennett is expected to compete for the Eagles’ open outside cornerback job with Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has indicated that neither player has stood out at this point, and Bennett could mix up the competition further.
Booker, meanwhile, was deemed surplus to requirements in the Eagles’ talented young defensive line room with players like Gabe Hall and Byron Young impressing in training camp, per the Inquirer’s EJ Smith. Originally a 2022 fifth-round pick by the Texans, Booker appeared in 10 games as a rookie but was waived during roster cuts in 2023. He spent the year on the Eagles’ practice squad, earned a 53-man roster spot in 2024, and appeared in every game during the team’s championship season.
Booker will now join a Raiders defensive line room that just lost Christian Wilkins as well as 2024 starter John Jenkins earlier in the offseason. Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, and Zachary Carter are all returning from last year’s unit with a handful of inexpensive veterans and rookies behind them. Booker will join that group competing for a depth role, though his 53-man roster chances are boosted by the fact that the Raiders moved to acquire him.