Oakland Raiders not named Carr or Mack crucial to team’s 2018 success

Gareon Conley / Rashaan Melvin

It goes without saying that for the Raiders to improve in 2018, they’re going to need a pass defense that has more closely resembled a turnstile these last few years than an actual NFL secondary, to play better. A whole lot better.

Under Gruden, the unit has been completely revamped, as new faces Leon Hall, Melvin, Nick Nelson, Daryl Worley, and Shareece Wright have been brought in to fill out a cornerbacks room that still includes Antonio Hamilton, Dexter McDonald, and Shaquille Richardson.

To have any sort of success in 2018, Conley and Melvin are going to be they key figures in that secondary. But to get there, both are going to need to find a way to stay on the field.

Melvin, entering his fifth season in the league has yet to play a full 16-game slate. The closest he came was his 15 appearances (nine starts) in 2016. Last year though, in just ten games for the Colts, Melvin showcased what he can do when he’s on the field and starting.

In those ten games, Melvin had three interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and 36 total tackles (30 solo). He was often on the other team’s best receiver and did a solid job of holding down the likes of Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins.

Conley missed all but two games last year, and played just a handful of defensive snaps overall. He’s flashed huge upside and the potential to be a lockdown-type corner. But, a lingering shin injury kept him on the sidelines for all but 92 snaps.

And 2018 is off to an ominous start as a hip strain sustained on day two of camp will force him to miss the next few weeks of camp – giving fans a nasty case of D.J. Hayden-vu.

Both Melvin and Conley have huge upside. They have the potential to be one of the better cornerback tandems in the league. To do that though, both are going to need to prove they can stay healthy and on the field.