Starters
Lamarcus Joyner
No surprise here, Gruden and Mayock don’t sign a player of Joyner’s caliber to a four-year deal for him not to start. Pencil him in as the starter at free safety, though expect him to play a good amount of snaps as the slot corner as well. Aside from the statistical production, he’s bringing from Los Angeles, his versatility is truly what the Raiders will welcome the most.
Joyner will play deep at safety as well as lineup on the outside, and of course, won’t mind taking part in the occasional blitz packages that defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has up his sleeve. Not a shock for him to be penciled in to start.
Johnathan Abram
You’ve seen the hype on tape before he entered the draft, and you’ve surely witnessed (or heard) the talk coming out of the rookie’s mouth. Now, Johnathan Abram can back it up as the starter at safety. While Joyner looks to cover opposing receivers in the slot and help with the pass rush, Abram can help where he is better suited: playing and covering deep.