Las Vegas Raiders: 2019 class still has a chance to be elite

Las Vegas Raiders: 2019 class still has a chance to be elite

Johnathan Abram

During the Raiders season of Hard Knocks, almost everyone fell in love with Abram’s sense of humor and boisterous personality. Many were heavily anticipating an electric rookie season from the hard-hitting Abram, who would bring back some of the old-school ferocity that hasn’t been seen since Jack Tatum wore the Silver and Black.

Instead of living up the hype, Abram missed out on nearly his entire rookie season thanks to a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. Abram eventually healed up and played as a starting safety in 2020, but his season turned out to be a disappointing one.

He constantly blew coverages and missed tackles by taking bad angles or by carelessly throwing his body in the hopes of leveling someone out. This led him to injure himself and his teammates. If Abram wants to be a cornerstone of the Las Vegas defense, then he’ll have to make smart tackles that bring down the ball carrier and preserves his health.

Thankfully, Abram will be played to his strength this year. In a few interviews, Abram said that Bradley has chosen to have him play as a box safety, similarly to how Kam Chancellor was once used in Seattle. This will allow for Abram to attack the ball carrier and occasionally rush the passer, while he is used less in important pass coverage situations.

If Abram fits well into this new role, he has the potential to have a career year in 2021.