Antonio Pierce, the Las Vegas Raiders’ coach, confessed it was difficult to see cornerback Amik Robertson leave in free agency this year.
“Sad to see him go, but extremely proud of him,” Pierce said Monday at the owners’ meetings in Orlando.
The Detroit Lions signed Robertson to a two-year, $9.25 million contract this offseason. And, with Cameron Sutton’s recent release, he has a legitimate shot at a starting spot this season.
So, what do the Lions receive in Robertson?
“A ball hawk,” Pierce replied. “A guy who—you hate to admit it—has a little man’s complex. He plays much bigger than he is. You’re looking at a 5-foot-8, 5-9 competitor who is incredibly talented and gifted.
Robertson was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After starting only two games in his first two seasons, Robertson worked his way into increased playing time over the previous three seasons, starting seven games for the Raiders in 2022 and 12 last year. During those games, Robertson recorded four interceptions and 15 passes defended.
Beyond the stat sheet, Robertson gained a reputation for being a tough, physical outside cornerback despite his small stature (officially listed at 5-foot-8, 187 pounds). That built-in grittiness is part of what drew him to Detroit and Dan Campbell in the first place.
“The swagger and energy that coach Dan (Campbell), how he coaches, that’s what you’re looking for in a coach,” Robertson said during his introductory press conference last week. “He was a guy that kinda started off in the league being a player’s coach, in my opinion. That’s something that I saw in coach AP (Antonio Pierce) at the Raiders. He was the guy that kinda fit that description, and you want to play for a man like that, a person that his players are going through the wall for him.”
Robertson joins Carlton Davis, Emmanuel Moseley, and Khalil Dorsey as the team’s top four outside cornerbacks. While Davis is expected to be the team’s No. 1 cornerback, the other starting job is up for grabs. Like always under this coaching staff, that second spot will have to be earned by the players. But whether he earns the job in training camp or is the team’s primary reserve cornerback, Pierce knows that in Detroit, Robertson is going to give it his all.
“He did an extremely good job for us, always battled, was always the next man up, and when he got the opportunity this year, he made the most of it.”
