rasul douglas
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Former Las Vegas Raiders CB Rasul Douglas.
The Las Vegas Raiders have their head coach and defensive coordinator locked in, so we have a much better idea of the types of players they need. Klint Kubiak will be primarily focused on offense, which should give new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard a lot of freedom to operate the defense he wants to.
Leonard has worked for highly regarded defensive coaches like Mike Macdonald, Patrick Graham and Brian Flores. As a defensive line coach previously, Leonard could favor beefing up the Raiders’ offensive line, but the secondary is going to need a lot of help.
Eric Stokes was the team’s best cornerback, but he’s a free agent. If the Raiders want a veteran to help stabilize the room, they could reunite with a familiar face. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report listed the Raiders as a team that should sign Miami Dolphins free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas.
“Long story short, Douglas is a proven, capable veteran cornerback who has started 93 NFL games. He was a major stabilizing force for the Dolphins secondary in 2025, and it’s not like that was the first time he has helped solidify an NFL secondary,” Davenport wrote. “The West Virginia product is likely going to get a raise in 2026—he made less than $2 million in Miami a year ago. But he’s still going to be available for a reasonable price.
“And proven defensive backs on the cheap (relatively speaking) should appeal to all 32 NFL teams.”
Raiders Dropped the Ball With Douglas
The Raiders previously had Douglas on the roster in 2021, but cut him before the start of the season. He kept bouncing around the NFL until the Green Bay Packers gave him a chance, and he proved to be an impact player.
The Raiders always need a good cornerback, and Douglas would’ve been better than what they’ve had. He’s a bit older now, but could still help the team out if they decide to sign him.
Kubiak on Why Raiders Were Appealing
The Raiders have been a struggling franchise for a long time, so it’s not hard to understand why they’ve missed on some good coaching candidates. The fact that they were able to land Kubiak after winning a Super Bowl is a big deal.
He explained why the job was appealing to him.
“[T]here’s just a lot to love about this organization,” Kubiak said during his introductory press conference. “You look around this building and the resources that we have, our meal room, the weight room, the fields outside, the coaches offices, it’s as good as it gets in the NFL. Been in a lot of buildings for good reasons and bad reasons, been hired and fired, and the resources are here. We’ve just got to go put it all together.
“In this league, if you don’t take care of business, then you get chewed up and spit out real quick,” he added. “And every one of us up here has been through that. So, I’m going to have to earn the right to coach this whole season, to coach the next season. I have got to show Mr. Davis that our program is about the right things and that we’re developing these players. So, I don’t take for granted how long I’m going to be here. I know that I have to earn it every day.”