What Anusiem IR Status Means for Raiders Going Forward

The Las Vegas Raiders have suffered an injury to a position group they cannot afford to take losses at.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For a second consecutive season, the Las Vegas Raiders have sustained an injury to a defensive back on their roster who served as a depth piece. Las Vegas had an impressive come-from-behind victory against the Houston Texans on Thursday, but it came at a cost.

Las Vegas improved after a week in Texas, but they also have decisions to make. The Raiders' trip to Texas confirmed areas they must improve on the field. Yet, Las Vegas was forced to make a roster move following what was otherwise a positive and productive trip to Houston.

Raiders Won the Game, but Lost a Player

The Raiders battled back from a double-digit deficit to beat the Texans. However, late in the game, cornerback Chigozie Anusiem suffered a lower-body injury after being dragged down from behind on a punt. He was recently placed on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season.

Over the next few weeks, Las Vegas will continue developing the cornerbacks on the roster. They will also make a coinciding move, with cornerback possibly being the focus. Still, Las Vegas cannot sustain injuries to an unproven group of cornerbacks, with the season just weeks away.

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders center Will Putnam (67), safety Tristin McCollum (27), cornerback Chigozie Anusiem (29) and defensive tackle JJ Pegues (92) walk to the field against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Perspective

There are two sides to Anusiem's injury. On one hand, he played zero snaps on defense for the Raiders last season, while playing 13% of the team's special teams plays. He was listed on Las Vegas' most recent depth chart behind rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses.

He was likely to be featured again in a reserve role this upcoming season and may have been on the roster bubble with cutdown day fast approaching. Making the practice squad was likely his best bet. Still, the Raiders' secondary is the biggest question mark the team has heading into the 2026 season. Anusiem's injury may not amount to much.

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Chigozie Anusiem (29) practices during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, as the unit continues to put the pieces together, it is clear that this process will take well into the regular season. Cornerback is a position the Raiders cannot take any more losses at, as it is already the team's most significant weakness. Still, they continue to look to improve as a unit.

“As far as the secondary, overall, as a defense, I thought we took a step forward last night. I think we’ve got a lot of good work in the joint practice covering some new guys, and those guys need another game under their belt against San Francisco to continue to get better,” Kubiak said following Thursday’s win over the Texans.