The Raiders leading solo tackler in 2019 was linebacker Tahir Whitehead with a total of 79 — not great. Head Coach Jon Gruden needs to see improvement in one of the game's fundamental areas and he's going to demand it of nickelback Lamarcus Joyner.
Joyner's expertise is deeply rooted in the key fundamentals of the game, but last season was challenging for the six-year veteran because of the inconsistency around him and the task of learning a new scheme. For the first time since his NFL debut, the then 28-year-old felt like a rookie again, learning to communicate a language he wasn't familiar with to players he had no experience playing with.
Despite the aches and pains of last season, Joyner managed to stay productive with three passes defensed and 49 tackles combined, but now that he feels more comfortable in defensive coordinator Paul Guenther's system, he's able to play at the level he knows he's capable of.
"I feel a lot more comfortable, almost feel like my second year again in the league," Joyner told reporters Friday. "I went to a complicated system with the Rams and Greg Williams, it takes a lot to learn with those kinds of complicated systems, [like Guenther's]. But I feel much more comfortable and that's going to help me with my confidence, and executing and making more plays."
The Raiders struggled with consistency on both sides of the ball last season, due to the vast amount of injuries sustained throughout the year. Johnathan Abram suffered a season-ending injury Week 1, Gareon Conley was shipped to the Houston Texans midseason, and the defensive line featured a batch of rookies learning on the fly; however, the team (defense specifically) shouldn't be plagued with such matters this year.
General Manager Mike Mayock and Gruden have added depth at every crucial position, not just deeper on the roster, but at the starting positions. Joyner will be complemented by a cast of veteran, yet youthful, defensive backs and his former Los Angeles Rams teammate, Cory Littleton.
"Cory and I have known each other for four seasons now. We had a good relationship in L.A. and I told Coach Gruden and Coach Paul Guenther he was a must get," Joyner said. "With a defense like this, where you have to trust the man next to you, he's very trustworthy and he's going to allow the players at the safety and nickelback position to make a lot more plays, trusting that he'll be there to help you out with leverage."
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August 15, 2020 at 05:07AM
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Comfortable in Guenther's system, Lamarcus Joyner seeks to bring physicality this season - Raiders.com
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