The Oakland Raiders have lost a key member of their young secondary, as they are expected to place 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram on injured reserve Wednesday, per a NFL Network report. Abram could have been placed on short-term injured reserve, but he is expected to get surgery on his shoulder that will keep him out for the season.
Abram had a solid debut for the Raiders, finishing with five tackles and one pass defended as Oakland's defense allowed just 344 yards in a 24-16 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 1. With Abram out, the Raiders could turn to Lamarcus Joyner (who played slot cornerback in the opener) or Curtis Riley to play alongside Karl Joseph.
Abram has been aggressive, with his physical play resulting in some missed tackles. Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley suffered a neck injury when trying to tackle Denver running back Royce Freeman as he was heading out of bounds. Conley came in to finish the play, but Abram's leg hit Conley's head, causing the injury. Conley was carted off, but has since tweeted he's 'good to go.'
"I think he probably got a little bit too reckless at times," Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said about Abram after Monday's win, via the San Jose Mercury News. "Made some great plays, some impact plays … I think some tackles he's gotta make for us – he missed. His debut was pretty good."
The Raiders will have to wait until next season to see the full impact Abram can make on their defense.
