Getty Oakland Raiders CB Gareon Conley
The Oakland Raiders are set to shake things up on the defensive side of the ball. And apparently, that means officially demoting one of the most highly-touted defensive players on the roster.
As Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal revealed Tuesday, the Raiders are expected to start Daryl Worley and Rashaan Melvin over former first-round pick Gareon Conley. Along with that, Gehlken cited defensive coordinator Paul Guenther calling Conley “basically a rookie.”
“It remains the Raiders’ plan to end CB rotation soon, settling on a duo outside. Daryl Worley, Rashaan Melvin the favorites. DC Paul Guenther said Gareon Conley “basically a rookie,” given time missed. Wants to give him reps “little by little, just like a normal rookie player.”” Gehlken tweeted.
Gareon Conley’s Struggles, Lack of Snaps
The most concerning aspect of Conley’s start to the 2018 season has been missed tackles and the inability to make plays when the opportunity arises. He’s left much to be desired to this point, and simply put, Guenther and the coaching staff like what Worley and Melvin bring to the table.
This became obvious when Conley’s snaps dropped from around 70 percent in Weeks 3 and 4, down to 19 percent on Sunday, according to Football Outsiders. Guenther relied heavily on the two aforementioned corners, along with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Leon Hall in Week 5.
With the Raiders now 1-4 on the season, something has to give and the obvious hope is that a shakeup will at least help that side of the ball.
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