Raiders' Safety Group Has Great Intangibles

The Las Vegas Raiders were not good in the secondary in 2022, to put it plainly.

They allowed nearly 243 passing yards per game, fourth worst in the NFL and second worst in the AFC last season. They also nearly allowed a 35 percent first down conversion rate through the air, which was barely outside the bottom 10 in the NFL.

This is now Chris Ash’s second season as defensive backs coach in the Silver and Black, and things must improve in his department if the team wants to return to the playoffs. Thankfully, General Manager Dave Ziegler made several moves to bolster the secondary.

Today, we are going to focus specifically on the safeties on the team and why the new acquisitions, along with some of the talent already on the team, have what it takes for a turnaround on defense.

Starting with one of the biggest signings the Raiders made in free agency, Marcus Epps comes over from the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles after having the best season of his career.

Epps played 1,058 snaps last season, most on the team. His durability and leadership qualities will be valuable to a unit that needs to improve communication.

The Raiders drafted Christopher Smith II out of Georgia in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Smith does not have the desired physical traits to be an NFL safety, but he more than makes up for it with his hard work ethic and intangible characteristics. His football IQ will allow him to seamlessly transition to the professional level.

The Raiders also signed Jaquan Johnson from the Buffalo Bills, another player with elite intangibles. Johnson, Smith, and Epps are all smart football players and natural leaders, something the team did not have last season.

Tre’von Moehrig enters year three with the Raiders, and while he didn’t have his best season last year, he now has much more talent around him. Moehrig will be able to play a more comfortable role for himself as he looks to return to form.

The Raiders’ safety group has players who are all capable of being leaders, and one of the most important elements of a successful defense is good communication. The team now has that, plus young, talented players. The formula is present for them to have a much better season in the secondary.

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