to revamp the secondary this week with the signing of cornerback Nevin Lawson. The 5-year veteran has been able to fight and win a starting spot across from D..."Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden continued to revamp the secondary this week with the signing of cornerback Nevin Lawson. The 5-year veteran has been able to fight and win a starting spot across from Darius Slay in Detroit despite plenty of competition at the position.Lawson brings starting experience as well as terrific speed to the secondary. He also has a total of zero interceptions in his NFL career despite numerous opportunities to come down with one. He’s not a perfect player but still can contribute in multiple ways. Here’s a look at his game.Playing through the catch pointThe play above against the Packers Lawson gets his hands on the receiver at the line and slides into a back shoulder position. He doesn’t panic when the receiver is 3 yards away from him and instead shows off his top end speed. When he gets close enough and sees the receiver begin to adjust for the catch Trayvon Mullen Jersey 2019 , the former Lions CB gets his head around for a pass break up.The 5-9, 192-pounder gets in a similar spot here against the Rams. He is in tight man coverage against Robert Woods near the top of the screen. Woods runs a “wheel route” across the formation which at first looks like a shallow cross before it turns into a deep route up the opposite sideline. Lawson doesn’t panic when he realizes he in trailing the speedy wide-receiver. Instead he shows savvy cornerback skills by playing the receivers hands through the catch point to get this pass break up.This rep from off-coverage shows Lawson’s ability to disrupt the receiver from catching the ball.Lawson stays square and maintains his outside leverage. He is in a good place to break on the skinny post from Allen Robinson and is in a spot that prevents the receiver from adjusting to the ball.Inconsistent techniqueLawson has a lot of up and down technique on film. There are plays where he uses text-book fundamentals and others where he makes clear mental mistakes. Lawson is lined up in press coverage at the bottom of the screen. He allows the receiver to get a free release by guessing instead of trusting his technique and staying square. It just so happens that the receiver runs his route right where Lawson recovers. If this was a fade route he’s on the wrong side of a highlight.Minnesota also took advantage of Lawson’s inconsistent technique in the redzone. Lawson commits two sins on this play. First he overplays his leverage by jumping outside of Adam Thielen. Second he peeks into the back field making him late to transition against the double move. Against Chicago we see Lawson get on his heels in press coverage and fail to disrupt the receivers release. He actually recovers and is in a good position, getting his head around to play the back shoulder pass. But inexplicably he turns back around when the ball is in the air forcing the referee to throw the flag for pass interference. If Lawson doesn’t make that final turn to face guard at the end of the play, he’s in good shape and this is an incompletion instead of a automatic first down.ConclusionLawson isn’t a surefire starter but he adds competition to the secondary. Expect him and Daryl Worley to battle for the starting position opposite Gareon Conley. Lawson will also get consideration in the slot where he played about half of his coverage snaps for Detroit this past season. Defensive Coordinator Guenther gains some flexibility by adding Lawson to go along with Joyner and now has a secondary where a few players can play multiple positions. Guenther asks his corners use a different press technique that what was on film above. Instead of a hard press, Oakland’s corners play a “motor” technique where they inch backwards before getting their hands of the receiver. Perhaps the change in technique can be what Lawson needs to maximize his potential. Either way, he needs to do a better job of re-routing WRs in 2019.‘Very possible’ Mike Nugent is Raiders kicker to begin season with Eddy Pineiro out with groin injury Midway through Raiders training camp, the battle between Eddy Pineiro and incumbment kicker Giogio Tavecchio ended. They let Tavecchio go in favor of veteran kicker, Mike Nugent. And thus began a new battle for the Raiders kicker spot.Even still, it appeared the job was Pineiro’s to lose. The undrafted rookie looked very good in camp and made all three attempts in the team’s first preseason game against the Lions Derek Carr Jersey White , including makes from 45 and 48 yards.Then he was lost to a groin injury and hasn’t returned. And suddenly having another proven option was a very good thing.It’s not known yet how long Pineiro’s injury will have him out. Leading to the inevitable question if the Raiders kicker heading into the season will be Mike Nugent.“Yeah, it’s possible, very possible,” Gruden said of Nugent starting the season as the Raiders kicker. “He’s (been) an 80% kicker for 13 years. I don’t know what the exact percentage is, but he’s a good kicker, he’s been a good kicker for a long time. You don’t make it in this league unless you are. He’s got the mental toughness and reliability to overcome a bad game or a bad kick. Right now he’s the leader in the clubhouse because Eddy’s not healthy.”To be specific, Nugent is an 81% field goal kicker over his career. For comparison, Sebastian Janikowski has been an 80.4% kicker over his career. Where they deviate is outside of 50 yards where Janikowski is 55% for his career, having made 55 of 100 attempts. Nugent has attempted just 29 in his 13-year career Clelin Ferrell Oakland Raiders Jersey , making 12 (41.4%).Jason Marcum from SB Nation Bengals blog Cincy Jungle said Nugent isn’t quite the picture of confidence Gruden paints him to be, but that he has made some big kicks when called upon.The former second round pick spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jets where he made 81.5% of his kicks, but made just three outside of 50 yards. Over seven years in Cincinnati he was an 80.8% kicker, going 11 for 28 outside of 50 yards.He spent part of last season in Dallas with Rich Bisaccia, where he made 7 of his 9 attempts in four games.Nugent has had four attempts in his two games kicking for the Raiders this preseason. He made kicks from 30, 31, and 32 and missed wide left from 49 yards out last week. Pineiro made 17 of his 18 attempts at Florida last season. He missed one in the season opener and then didn’t miss again. And still hasn’t. Raiders open the season in exactly two weeks. Pineiro has until then to see if that groin is healthy enough for him to go.Follow @LeviDamien