Raiders depth chart: Game slowing down, players communicating vital for defense

Rob Ryan, Tre’Von Moehrig both highlight consistency and being on same page as crucial for Las Vegas

Leave it to Rob Ryan to drop some absolute jewels during his media availability.

Take when the Las Vegas Raiders senior defensive assistant was asked about Marcus Epps aiding in the development of Tre’Von Moehrig, the veteran safety’s tag team partner at the position group.

“Oh, amazing. You know, Tre’von is the most talented safety in football. Now he’s just got to bring it and he’s getting better each time. Now he’s got a number change. Man is he good now,” Ryan began. “Sometimes those number changes really change, but Epps has been great for him. Like, how did that Philadelphia defense look without Epps. Oops. When you take a guy like that, a guy who knows the game, slows the game down for everybody, and you take him away from the defense, it’s a hard thing.”

Ryan may sound like he’s delivering hyperbole when he starts saying something, but the 61-year-old coach who enters the 24th season of coaching pulls no punches when talking about Epps impact both in Philadelphia and in Las Vegas.

“Well, I mean, off the field he’s just one of them cerebral cats now. He’s very smart. He played at Wyoming; I think they got a barn named after him over there,” Ryan continued when speaking of Epps. “But the thing on the field now, he’s one of our loud guys. You know, he speaks up, he runs the whole show back there and Spillane echoes it, and the communication is night and day difference… But believe me Epps is so much better than people think, like, well, he had no interceptions. Yeah, okay. I guess he never had any impact on our defense. Look again and then you want to see how much he’s missed?”

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan harkened on an integral component of what made the Raiders defense in 2023 perform compared to the year prior: Communication. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham made adjustments and focused on his defense’s ability to work as a group in unison; all 11 knowing what each other is going to do and execute. That resulted in a quantum leap from 2022 to 2023 and now it’s making it consistent in 2024.

Continuity — especially when it comes to the Silver & Black — is a fleeting notion as the team has undergone turnover from one regime to the next. And fielding a good defense this coming season helps change the narrative. We’ve written about it plenty, but Graham’s side of the ball has a considerable head start compared to Luke Getsy’s offense. And it’s no surprised to hear the Raiders defense chasing the elusive consistency. Las Vegas as the coaches and players to make strides this coming year, but if the group doesn’t put together another collective effort, they’ll be trying to grasp a cloud. And futility all too much a Raider thing.

“Just to piggyback on what I said, just the consistency. Having the same couple guys out there, we’re familiar with them that we’ve played with last year, and we know how we work. We know how to communicate with each other and how to play off of one another,” Moehrig noted during his media availability during minicamp in mid-June. So, like I said, just the consistency in that aspect is big time.”

Moehrig, who played the most snaps of any Raider defender in 2023 with 1,106, didn’t stutter or hesitate when asked what he’s looking to improve this coming year.

“Everything. Shoot, I can improve in every aspect, so I’m just going to try to go out there and be the best player I can be, whether that be communication, my play style, getting my hands on the ball,” the 25-year-old second-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft noted. “Hopefully, we can do all those things this upcoming season.”

Thanks in large part having Epps to mentor and guide him, Moehrig showcased the takeaway skills that made him a standout defensive back at TCU. Epps presence allowed Moehrig to play more freely and it’ll be interesting to see that develop further. It’s without doubt having an experienced, smart, and communicative partner at safety helped slow the game down for Moehrig.

Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

And that’s something Ryan also highlighted as crucial component for the Raiders defense — and any player in general.

When asked about Tyree Wilson, who the Raiders selected seventh overall in the 2023 draft, Ryan sounded similar to when he spoke of Epps and Moehrig. Wilson has quality veterans to learn from — elite edge rusher Maxx Crosby and up-and-coming Malcolm Koonce — and pass rush specialist Andre Carter to lean on, too. Carter racked up 80.5 career sacks over the course of his 13-year career that began with the San Francisco 49ers as the seventh overall pick in the 2001 draft.

“I’ll tell you what, all I see, I look out there and I see him and Andre Carter all the time. He’s been working hard. He’s learning Andre’s old pass rush moves. And so, he’s going to be a weapon as well. And he’s got a great work ethic. And people don’t realize that the kid is so smart,” Ryan said of Wilson. “You know, that’s another good quality to have along with those long vines that he’s got. The game will slow down for him. His first year, sometimes you come in like a house fire, but sometimes it develops. Most of the time it takes a while for a young man to develop. And I think we’ll see a lot of growth this year with him. He’s a great kid. He works hard. He loves football. So, we got the right guy.”