Las Vegas Raiders: 5 pressing questions heading into training camp

What’s Johnathan Abram’s Second Year Outlook?

Johnathan Abram emerged as a star on HBO’s Hard Knocks last offseason. He’s a bright character in front of the cameras with an affinity for physicality on the field.

Unfortunately, Abram only played 48 defensive snaps as a rookie. He tore his labrum and underwent surgery, which sidelined him for the remainder of the 2019 season.

Abram has the personality to take on a leadership role in the secondary. He’s also wearing No. 24, which holds prestige as a player donning the team colors. Clearly, the Raiders expect a lot from him as a first-rounder from the 2019 class.

However, Abram has to figure out how to play his style of defense without putting his body in jeopardy. Typically, a player who sets the tone and inflicts pain on others takes his lumps as well. After sitting out for just about his entire first year, he has a big role to fill in a secondary that’s gone through significant changes over the last two seasons.

Fellow safety Damarious Randall has the ball skills to force turnovers (14 career interceptions), but he’s on a one-year deal. The sixth-year veteran can price himself out of Las Vegas with a strong 2020 campaign or fizzle out because of poor performances. The Raiders have a stronger commitment to Abram, who’s supposed to play a huge role in the team’s push toward a brighter future.

Because of his passion for the game and outspoken allegiance to the organization, Abram quickly became a fan favorite, but he has to stay healthy and perform at a high level in the upcoming season. If he goes down with another injury or underperforms, skeptics will question his draft status with unforgiving criticism.