From the moment his named was called during the 2019 NFL draft, everyone knew that Johnathan Abram was going to play a lot as a rookie. With the Raiders declining the fifth-year option on former 2016 first-round pick Karl Joseph, some were wondering how quickly Abram could replace Joseph.
However, the Raiders have an open mind in regards to their two first-round picks at safety. During the team’s two-day mini-camp, Oakland had both Joseph and Abram on the field at the same time with veteran Lamarcus Joyner playing in the slot.
During his media availability on Wednesday, Abram mentioned how much fun he has playing with Joseph and that they each “challenge” one another to make plays.
Joseph and Abram are very similar players as they are each undersized safeties who love to be physical. While neither excels in coverage, they can both be tone-setters in the run game.
It’s encouraging to see Abram ascend to the first-team defense so quickly during his rookie season. Look for him to be a Day 1 starter and to be on the field a lot during the team’s Week 1 matchup with the Denver Broncos.
