Oakland Raiders: Defensive Player Spotlight – David Amerson
With Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin seen as the official leaders of the Oakland Raiders defense, a newcomer has the chance to disrupt that core. David Amerson came over from the Washington Redskins in 2016 and proceeded to start 15 games for the Raiders but his production was nothing to write home to Mom about.
The Raiders defense, in general, was awful but their secondary was downright ugly.
Amerson gave up big plays last year; however, he will be looking to make amends in 2017. If Amerson can find a rhythm and begin to gain the trust of his fellow secondary players, there is no telling how good the Raiders defense can be.
For Amerson to improve and show his worth he must not let below average Quarterbacks and receivers continue to get the best of him. The AFC West is not a hotbed for elite skilled players, but there is still the threat of Philip Rivers and Demaryius Thomas. However, other than that, who is there to put Amerson to shame?
The Raiders need David Amerson to step up and be a leader or he will be out of a job by midseason.
What gets me is—how can a player who squares up against the likes of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree every day in practice continuously get beat by weaker receivers? I do not see it is a talent issue. With Amerson, it is more of a mind thing. Once you give up a few big plays, it sticks with you. Maybe Amerson started to second-guess himself and his play suffered in the process. However, this is the good thing about sports. One season ends and another begins.
2017 is another chance for David Amerson to make amends for an awful 2016. If he can show any kind of improvement, he may not only save his job but could land the Raiders in the Super Bowl.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
