NFL

Raiders Cornerbacks May Benefit From Antonio Brown

Daryl Worley says the veteran wide receiver is eager to share information and insight and will also be a challenge to go against every day in practice

There may be an added benefit to adding wide receiver Antonio Brown to the Raiders offense this season.

Brown could be a boost for the Oakland defense, too.

Raiders cornerbacks, forced to cover Brown every day in drills and scrimmages, could raise their own level of play in 2019, according to cornerback Daryl Worley, who is competing for a starting job.

"He’s definitely been able to give us feedback on where he feels as though we can improve or what he felt as though he has seen that we covered it well," Worley told Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group after Day 1 of the team’s full-squad, mandatory minicamp Tuesday.

Brown has been one of the NFL’s most productive and dynamic receivers for many years, and now joins a Raiders offense that also has added another playmaker in ex-Charger Tyrell Williams.

That means cornerbacks such as Worley, Gareon Conley, Nick Nelson, Curtis Riley and second-round draft pick Trayvon Mullen will be hard pressed every day to be at their best.

As McDonald noted, Brown has long been regarded as a hard-working player who goes all out in every practice. Head coach Jon Gruden says he's watched Brown practice when he was in Pittsburgh and was amazed at his level of effort.

And, working with teammates to raise the level of play at all levels – on offense and defense – is something Brown believes is important. He wants to work hard to set an example, and share information.

"Camaraderie is key," Brown said recently. "You need to win and get to know the guys and have their back. I’m out here to do that and show what I’m about."

Day 2 of minicamp was scheduled for Wednesday.

Contact Us