5 keys to success for the Las Vegas Raiders 2020 season
By Brad Weiss
5 keys to success for the Las Vegas Raiders 2020 season
Abram and Mullen lead the secondary
During the 2019 NFL Draft, Mike Mayock tried to fix his secondary with consecutive picks, selecting Johnathan Abram, a safety out of Mississippi State with his third and final first round pick, and then Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen in the second. Those two guys had very different rookie seasons, as Abram was a starter from Day 1, but was injured for the year in Week 1, and Mullen did not get going until the second half.
As they both enter Year No. 2, they will be expected to lead a new-look secondary, one that is going to be crucial if the team hopes to take the next step forward. Abram is the kind of Alpha you need in the middle of you secondary, and he is healthy and ready to go in 2020, while Mullen looked all the bit the part of a CB1 last season.
At safety, veterans like Jeff Heath and Damarious Randall were brought in to team with Abram, and Erik Harris, who had a bit of a breakout season in 2019. The cornerback room was also shuffled, with Damon Arnette being selected in the first round, and Amik Robertson in the fourth, while Prince Amukamara was added in free agency.
The new faces on the roster are more talented than the group the team had last year, but this whole thing does not work unless Abram and Mullen have a dominant sophomore season.