There has been plenty to take away from the Oakland Raiders joint practice sessions with the Los Angeles Rams leading into their matchup in the preseason opener.
Johnathan Abram was not shy about expressing his confidence in this group after they were able to hold their own against the Rams’ high-powered offense. The rookie is now convinced that they will be able to enjoy a bit of a resurgence on that side of the ball in the 2019 NFL season.
While Abram’s comments may seem a bit premature, it appears there could be some truth to them. Even Rams head coach Sean McVay was admittedly impressed the job Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has done this offseason.
According to Josh Schrock of NBC Sports, he praised Guenther and Oakland’s rookie class, particularly first-round picks Clelin Ferrell and Abram, for their performance:
“Lot of new faces, lot of speed, lot of physicality,” McVay said after practice Thursday. “I think you’re seeing guys get more and more comfortable with coach Gunether’s system. There is definitely some nice intricacies to it that make it really challenging to an offense. I think when you look at Ferrell, you look at Abram, you feel those guys out there. Adding a Vontaze Burfict, when you’re out here and you listen to his ability to communicate, it’s pretty impressive.
“So they’ve definitely got some good depth up front, they’ve got some inside linebackers who can play and they’ve got some physical safeties and some corners who can run. So I think you can expect them to be a really tough matchup for offenses this year.”
The Raiders’ decision to trade Khalil Mack last year raised plenty of questions about the state of the defense moving forward. Fortunately, it appears the investment they made has already started to pay off with Abram and Ferrell turning heads in training camp.
It is safe to say that both rookies will be expected to make an immediate impact on a Raiders defense that is hoping to bounce back from a disastrous 2018 campaign in which they ranked 26th in the league in yards allowed and last in scoring defense. McVay’s comments indicate that Guenther is well on his way to putting things together in Oakland.
Abram and the rest of this defense will have a chance to solidify this notion through the preseason, beginning with the Rams in the opener. Although McVay has already pledged to sit most of his starters, it should still provide some of the new faces on defense a solid opportunity to find their footing together.
