Raiders DC Patrick Graham: Observations From Week 7
Raiders DC Patrick Graham: 3 Observations From Week 7
Is Clelin Ferrell going to be around much longer for the Raiders?
That’s the million-dollar question right now. Raiders fans are eager to see if Clelin Ferrell is indeed done as a Raider. He’s clearly a bust, fair or not. He won’t be living up to the status of being the fourth overall selection, so, at what point do you cut bait?
Regardless of his future, Ferrell is still playing for Graham and as such, he was asked to comment on his status on what he’s seeing so far from the former Clemson Tiger.
"“It’s simple. We’re hoping that, in terms of what he’s doing in practice, we’re hoping for it to transfer to gameday. And the advantage he has of going inside is that he’s a long body, he plays with length, he plays with his hands in front of his eyes, he has good strength, and he has toughness. So, once you have that combination of things, whether he was a defensive end, an outside backer, however you want to look at it, and you slide him down inside with the combination of athleticism and quickness, it makes a suitable situation for us to put him down in there, and he’s capitalized on it so far,” said Graham regarding Ferrell’s current status and how the coaching staff is trying to maximize his potential, even still."
What’s wrong with Trevon Moehrig?
One of the touchiest subjects within Raider Nation has been the play of second-year safety Trevon Moehrig. Simply put, he’s regressed. Whether you want to blame his health or his usage by Graham, something’s off.
Concerning Moehrig’s progression or lack thereof, Graham pointed out that the safety is still learning on the job, essentially.
"“In terms of how to improve, you’ve got to get experience. You’ve got to see it. We could talk about it on the board, we could show the video, but until you see it through those eyes, because there is a lot of field you are defending back there and then tying in the disguise that we are trying to ask you to do, tying in the run fit, tying in, ‘Okay, I might get matched up on the receiver now.’ He’ll grow through experience, and he’s still in the early part of his career, so I’m pleased with where he’s heading right now,” stated Graham."
In many ways, Graham is absolutely correct. Moehrig is sticking to it, doing his best, but at the same time, it appears he’s always a step behind. His Pro Football Focus numbers tell a sad story. As of this past weekend, Moehrig was graded at 42.0 in coverage and 54.3 in stopping the run.
When targeted by opposing quarterbacks, Moehrig was giving up nearly 16 yards per reception (15.9) heading into the Texans game. It’s far too early to call Moehrig a bust, yet it’s safe to say that he’s certainly in the middle of a sophomore slump.