Getty Kavon Frazier attempting to tackle Hunter Renfrow.
The Las Vegas Raiders have recently been hit with a slew of retirements from last year’s roster. It started with veteran offensive guard Richie Incognito and was followed by Denzelle Good and linebacker K.J. Wright. The retirements didn’t stop there.
Defensive back Kavon Frazier announced his retirement on Twitter.
Frazier, just 27, bounced around the NFL throughout his career. He was a sixth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 and lasted four seasons with the team. He also saw time with the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals. Last season, he joined up with the Raiders late in the season. He played in one game with the team but didn’t record any stats. Las Vegas signed him to a Reserve/Future contract after the season but cut him before training camp.
Frazier is still a young player so the door will remain open for a return if he decides he’d like to continue playing. The defensive back recorded 73 combined tackles in his career.
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Johnathan Abram Talks Defensive Adjustments
Safety will be one of the key positions to watch in training camp. 2021 second-round pick Tre’von Moehrig is a stud and should be one of the starting safeties for a long time. 2019 first-round pick Johnathan Abram has had an up-and-done career. He’s struggled in coverage and has dealt with injury issues.
Despite the struggles early in his career, new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has given Abram many of the first-team snaps in training camp. However, he’s been asked to do a lot more than previous defensive coordinator Gus Bradley asked of him. Abram is taking the changes in stride.
“You can’t cheat the process,” Abram said Sunday. “I’m doing what works for me: Taking notes, writing things down, watching the film, making note cards, whatever helps me learn best.”
Graham Praises Abram
Abram had an uphill battle heading into this offseason. He ended last year on the Injured Reserve and the Raiders declined his fifth-year option. This is his last chance to prove that he deserves to be part of the team going forward. He’s been proving early on in training camp that he could be ready to take a leap.
Graham has been quite impressed with Abram.
“Johnathan is one of those guys that can handle a bunch,” Graham said on July 23. “I mean, he’s a really smart football player. He works at it; he works really hard. He has a great skill set. … And I know this about Johnathan: He’s willing to do whatever we ask. I mean, he’s in here early (and) stays late. He brings guys together. I’ve been really, really pleased with Johnathan. … He’s just a really good football player that works hard at his craft and is willing to do anything for the team.”
Abram has all the tools to be a great player. He’s always been impressive in practice but struggles during the games. He needs to prove quickly that he can fix his coverage issues or Graham will have to bench him on passing downs.
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