How Daryl Worley’s new hybrid role will help the Raiders defense
By Matt Holder
According to reports, Oakland Raiders defensive back Daryl Worley is set to take on a ‘hybrid’ role on the defense moving forward.
While the bye week is typically a relaxed period for players, coaches spend quite a bit of time assessing how the team can improve. For defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, that meant addressing the Oakland Raiders secondary issues.
Daryl Worley and his role on the Oakland Raiders defense appears to be one of the coach’s solutions.
Reports are the cornerback is going to have an expanded role as a ‘hybrid player‘. The veteran has played well this year and clearly the coaching staff has taken notice. Combining Guenther’s scheme and Worley’s skill set gives reason to believe this new role will enhance Oakland’s defense.
Two of Worley’s biggest strengths are his tackling and physicality. Both of these traits will translate well at safety or linebacker in nickel personnel, which features five defensive backs on the field.
Ever since Johnathan Abram went down, the Raiders have been searching for his replacement with little to no success. Curtis Riley was virtually ineffective and hasn’t played a single snap on defense since week three.
In the last couple of weeks, Erik Harris has played well, but isn’t the thumper Abram is and what Guenther is looking for.
With Worley’s skill set, he can be the sure tackler defensive coordinators covet from their safeties, and force incompletions by lowering his shoulder on receivers. In other words, the former West Virginia Mountaineer and Abram are similar players who until now, have been playing different positions.
For past few years, the Raiders have struggled to cover opposing teams’ tight ends and this year is no different. With Worley’s physicality and ability to play press man coverage, he can be the perfect safety/box linebacker to help solve this long-standing problem.
Oakland let the defensive back cover tight end Travis Kelce in Week 2, and the defender was over matched, as Kelce hauled in all three targets for 49 yards against Worley. However, since that game, he has been targeted five times for three catches and 16 yards against tight ends (sources: Vikings, Colts and Bears).
It looks like the versatile defender has corrected his mistakes from the Chiefs game, and could be the player the Silver and Black’s defense has looked for in recent years.
Especially with Nevin Lawson returning from suspension, defensive back is one of the Raiders deepest positions. With the former Lion in the rotation at cornerback, using Worley in a ‘hybrid’ role allows the team to keeps its most talented players on the field.
Oakland is already on its way to using nickel personnel almost exclusively, and Worley, Lawson, Joyner, Conley, and Joseph is a secondary that a lot of offenses will be concerned about.
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It’s almost never a smooth transition when a player changes positions or his role expands, so expect Worley to have a few bumps along the road. In the long run, this move allows the team to keep its best players on the field and fix a big deficiency. Look for Daryl Worley to continue his impressive year and become a staple of Oakland’s defense.