DJ Hayden was back in the Raiders’ starting lineup — technically at least — in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hayden served as the team’s nickel back and got the start when the Raiders opened up in that defense. He played 25 of the team’s 54 defensive snaps and wasn’t heavily involved in the action. The Chiefs threw just one pass his way, an incompletion, in 18 snaps of coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

For Hayden, this was the second fewest snaps of the season for the former first-round pick who started every game this year until he was benched Nov. 29 against the Tennessee Titans. In that game, David Amerson and TJ Carrie started at corner and Neiko Thorpe handled the nickel role.

But Thorpe went into the Chiefs game questionable with a knee injury and played only one snap. Whether that led to Hayden’s insertion as the nickel isn’t certain, but what is clear is the Raiders were looking to deliver a wake up call to Hayden during a year in which he continues to struggle in coverage, notably with an inability to make plays on the ball and a propensity to get called for penalties.

“I just want to see him competing and trying to get better,” Norton said of Hayden. “Just understand why he’s here, what it means to work, what it means to fight, what it means to come out and compete for a job every day.”

With Nate Allen re-injuring his knee against the Chiefs, the Raiders might have to move TJ Carrie back to safety again. That could mean Hayden is back as a starting cornerback. Does Norton think that chance to sit on the sidelines and watch for most of that Tennessee game helped Hayden?

“Well, we hope so. We hope it’s good for him,” Norton said. “He’s going to come back and we know what he’s made of. He’s going to really continue to better his game. It’s all about improving. It’s all about trying to get better, improve, find out what you’re issues are, try to find out what your weaknesses are and make them your strengths.”