Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly in preseason loss to the Rams
By Kevin Saito
Good: Shilique Calhoun
Maybe, it was a product of bad coaching – we all know that Del Rio and his staff didn’t do a great job of developing their players very well. Maybe, it wasn’t being put in the right position that played to his strengths. Or, maybe it was just an overestimation of his talent from the beginning.
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Whatever it was, to date, Shilique Calhoun has not lived up to the potential he flashed at Michigan State – potential that led the Raiders to using a third-round pick on him in the 2016 Draft.
At six-foot-four, 251 pounds, Calhoun is long and athletic, and was a very solid college player. As a Spartan, Calhoun used that size and speed to notch 27.5sacks (10.5 his senior year), and 44 tackles for a loss. He was a three-time first team All Big Ten, and the 2013 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.
By most metrics, Calhoun should have been able to come in and be productive on the next level. Except, it hasn’t worked out that way.
His rookie season saw him limited to just ten games after he was placed on injured reserve in late December. But, when he was on the field, he wasn’t necessarily all that impactful, recording just five tackles, half a sack, and a pass defensed.
2017 saw him waived in early September, then signed to the practice squad. He was called up in October, appearing in nine games last season. But, after recording just six tackles (four solo), you can’t say he moved the needle much.
But, with a new coaching regime potentially comes new life, and Calhoun is doing what he can to make his second chance count.
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Against the Lions, Calhoun showed up, notching three tackles, a sack, a pass defensed, and a pair of quarterback hits. Against the Rams, Calhoun recorded three tackles, two tackles for a loss, and another two quarterback hits.
With a new life, he’s playing with a new energy, and it shows.
He’s certainly still no lock to make the roster, but he’s certainly giving himself a chance with these active, effective performances. At the very least, he’s giving Gruden and the coaching staff something to think about.