Former Giants CB Holmes Signs With Raiders

One clear conclusion from the New York Giants’ roster cutdown from 90 to 53 players was how much this team has become general manager Joe Schoen’s . As he continues to leave his fingerprints on the roster, recent cuts have largely been talents from the Dave Gettleman administration.

Among them was veteran cornerback Darnay Holmes.

The writing was on the wall for the fifth-year corner. He was Gettleman’s target, not Schoen’s, had struggled through much of his Giants tenure, and played nearly all of New York’s preseason finale against the New York Jets – sharing the field with fellow cut candidates in an audition for other teams.

Perhaps his play this preseason landed him his new gig.

According to Jordan Schultz , Holmes signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday.

Notably, Holmes was signed to the active roster, not the practice squad, indicating Las Vegas’ priorities. The Raiders wanted him in the building and acted swiftly to dissuade other teams.

The Raiders’ reasoning is likely two-fold. For one, Holmes is a former understudy of Las Vegas defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Graham found success with New York before his gig in Sin City and played a role in both developing and deploying Holmes. The corner also has a longstanding relationship with Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce .

Further, the team’s depth in the secondary is incredibly thin. With little in the form of proven commodities, Las Vegas is an injury away from catastrophe on the back end.

Holmes, entrenched in the system, is a shoo-in for the backup slot cornerback job behind Nate Hobbs.

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Although his coverage skills remain unrefined, leading to far too many penalties, Holmes will hope his feistiness lends itself to success in perhaps the most comfortable non-Giants environment he could have found himself in.

He will surely have a greater chance to see the field in Las Vegas than he did in New York.