Oakland Raiders: Updated 2019 53-man roster projection

Safety (4): Johnathan Abram, Lamarcus Joyner, Erik Harris, Karl Joseph

Karl Joseph and Erik Harris did a nice job from the safety position in 2018, as Joseph finally looked like a first round pick in his first season in Paul Guenther’s defense. Both of those players should be with the team in 2019, unless the Raiders decide to move on from Joseph, which does not make much sense at this point.

During the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders used one of their first round picks on the safety position, bringing in Johnathan Abram from Mississippi State. Abram plays the game the way Raiders fans will come to love, as he is good in coverage, and is never afraid to come up and make the big hits.

In free agency, Lamarcus Joyner was one of the key players the Raiders brought in early on, after a solid season as a starting safety for NFC Champion Los Angeles in 2018. He is expected to be worked in as a nickel corner, and in a safety role, making him the most versatile defensive back on this roster in 2019.