Defensive coordinator was asked multiple time about players being flexible
The words “versatile” or “versatility” came up several times when defensive coordinator Patrick Graham spoke to the media during the Las Vegas Raiders’ training camp on Sunday, July 27.
It makes sense since, in the past, he’s asked players to line up at multiple spots. Just look at last year’s safeties, Tre’von Moehrig and Isaiah Pola-Mao. Both of them recorded a significant number of snaps on all three levels of the defense.
“There’s several positions that give us some flexibility in terms of being versatile with the scheme,” Graham explained. “It’s not quite as versatile and complex as everybody makes it out to be. I try to tell the guys all the time, I’m trying to keep it down to five things I’m asking you to do. Realistically, like five things, if you go through it, the process of it. We got some really good football players that give me some pieces to move around on the chessboard to play good defense.”
As the defensive coordinator references in the quote above, the Raiders have a handful of defenders who can play multiple positions. Third-year pro Tyree Wilson lines up on the edge or the interior defensive line, free-agent signing Jeremy Chinn has experience playing deep safety and in the box, and newly acquired Jamal Adams is moving from safety to linebacker, just to name a few.
Graham touched on how their Swiss Army knife skill sets can benefit Las Vegas’ defense this fall.
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“Tyree’s long, he’s got quickness, he’s got play strength. And when you bring that down [at defensive tackle], it’s a different matchup for the guard,” the coach said. “So, that’s the first thing you’re looking at there. And then from there, just getting [him] the reps to develop a move and a counter move. You don’t need a whole lot to start off, so get your go-to move, and then have a counter off of it. So that’s really the process he’s going through right now.”
While the 2023 first-round pick has been a disappointment so far, he did build some momentum in the second half of last season, especially as a pass-rusher. Three and a half of Wilson’s 4.5 sacks and 24 of 37 pressures, per Pro Football Focus, came after Week 11. The latter ranked in the top 30 of the league, and it’s no coincidence that his production increased when he started lining up at multiple positions on the defensive line.
As for Chinn, he logged over 1,200 snaps (including playoffs) for the Washington Commanders in 2024, via PFF, but spent less than 40 percent of his time at one position. He took 470 snaps in the box, 369 at free safety, 222 over the slot, 106 near the line of scrimmage and 40 at outside cornerback.
“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical, ball skills,” Graham said of Chinn, who has recorded 22 passes defended in five NFL seasons. “It’s wonderful having him as a weapon out there, and then on top of that, the communication and him being able to communicate what he’s seeing out there. Not keeping it a secret, helping his fellow players out there. The more we can be a noisy defense pre-snap and be a physical defense post-snap, [then] we’re trending in the right way.”
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Meanwhile, Adams is cut from the same cloth. But, as mentioned above, he will be making the switch from strong safety to linebacker in Las Vegas, which Graham thinks will be a seamless transition.
“Really, when you look at linebacker/safety, however you put it, just talk about basic cover three. If the safety is rotating in the box away from the nickel, I mean, he’s no different than the WILL [linebacker] if you sent the rotation the other way,” the coach explained. “There’s a lot of similarities to the position. I’ve coached plenty of guys that have done that, and you see the trend throughout the league. There’s dime packages, they’re getting linebacker reps, so it’s nothing foreign to him.”
As far as what Adams specifically brings to the defense:
“Each year is different, but his track record: physical, fast, dynamic, playmaker. You saw some plays out there on the field,” Graham said. “We’ll find out some more [on Monday] when we get the pads on. Great communicator, good energy, and it’s been a pleasure to work with him.”
Defensively, the Raiders have plenty of question marks heading into the 2025 season after losing eight Week 1 starters from last year’s team during the offseason. While from an outside perspective, the expectation might be that a linebacker replaces a linebacker, a safety replaces a safety, etc., Graham’s plan of attack doesn’t appear to be that simple.
And the reason for that is one word: versatility.