Ron Milus will be joining new Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, he’ll be in charge of mentoring the defensive backs.
Whether you like Bradley’s hiring or not, it can’t be disputed he’ll be bringing some quality coaches with him to help the Raiders’ turnaround. Rod Marinelli will be staying on the defensive line coach but Milus will be taking over defensive back duties. With so many question marks right now on the defensive side of the ball, it’s fair to wonder what Milus brings to the table.
We saw how mightily the Las Vegas secondary struggled these past few years under Paul Guenther. The players weren’t put in positions to succeed, they were out of place, and quite frankly, the pass defense was putrid. The players certainly have their share of the blame but it all starts with coaching in the NFL.
When you have so many youngsters such as Johnathan Abram and Damon Arnette, mentoring and coaching are paramount. Maybe with Guenther gone, fans will now start to see this unit’s potential in Bradley’s overall scheme.
For those fans who are maybe not familiar with Milus, they’ll be pleased to know that he has a good track record with player development. Let’s take a brief look at his history.
Will Milus help elevate the Raiders’ defensive backs?
In his previous stop with the Los Angeles Chargers, Milus oversaw Chris Harris Jr., Rayshawn Jenkins, Casey Hayward Jr., Derwin James Jr., and Desmond King II.
Milus reunited with Harris in Los Angeles after he mentored him with the Denver Broncos in what was his run as one of the top corners in the NFL. As for James, he was a first-team All-Pro and All-Rookie under Milus. Meanwhile, King was a second-team All-Pro as well, so you can see, Milus’ resume is a splendid one.
It should definitely excite Raider Nation knowing players such as Trayvon Mullen will be under his tutelage considering how promising his young career has been.
As far as his Broncos stint which began in 2000, Milus helped coach a secondary that had 21 interceptions that year. The following season, under Milus’ guidance, Deltha O’Neal was a Pro Bowl corner in his sophomore campaign.
Luckily, the bar is extremely low for the Raiders’ defense heading into 2021. If Milus can get said Raiders player to reach their potential, it’s not unfeasible that the Silver and Black’s pass defense could see a momentous shift. Also, let’s not forget that in an NFL draft featuring several intriguing prospects, Milus could certainly help lay a foundation as he did in Denver and Los Angeles.