Oakland Raiders: Why Shilique Calhoun will make the 53-man roster

After a rough offseason, should the Oakland Raiders cut their 2016 third-round pick Shilique Calhoun? Does he deserve another year to show improvement?

After watching rookie LaTroy Lewis wreak havoc with second- and third-stringers while James Cowser makes plays all over the field, many ask what’s going on with Shilique Calhoun? The Oakland Raiders‘ 2016 third-round pick hasn’t produced a standout moment during the offseason program.

Lewis and Cowser came into the league as undrafted free agents. When comparing draft statuses, you’d expect a third-rounder to develop a lot faster than two players who didn’t hear their names called on draft day.

For starters, every player absorbs the game in a different fashion. A simple transition to the pros for one individual may become a daunting task for another. At times, skill sets translate poorly. Attention to detail may affect development through the first few seasons.

Fans posed the idea of cutting Calhoun on Sept. 2 when all 32 teams condense their rosters to 53 players. Pump the brakes on cutting bait with the Michigan State product.

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We all know general manager Reggie McKenzie loves draft picks. Don’t expect him to pull the plug on a third-round pick from a year ago. By the way, as a rookie, Calhoun only played 10 games. He underwent a procedure on his knee to cap a nondescript season as Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin‘s backup.

It’s also worth noting, the Raiders should’ve anticipated a longer learning curve for Calhoun, who made the transition to linebacker with the Silver and Black. On the collegiate level, he primarily rushed the passer as a defensive end. He came into the league with a lot on his plate and spoke about it on SiriusXM NFL radio last year (h/t NBCS Bay Area reporter Scott Bair):

"“I’ve been playing a little bit of everything, ” Calhoun said during his rookie year. “I’ve been moving around, but I’m mainly at (strongside linebacker) and the LEO. I’m trying to learn those two positions and master them behind two great players in Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin.”"

Obviously learning two new positions hasn’t fared well for the third-rounder. Then, he returned to camp with more bulk:

As a strong-side linebacker that must play in more space, adding weight might’ve worked against Calhoun during the summer. Unless defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and assistant head coach to defense John Pagano alter his responsibilities, more weight may hurt his first step or ability to chase down ball-carriers.

It’s obvious Calhoun still needs to perfect his role within the defense, but it’s way too early to cut ties with him, especially before he’s played a season’s worth of games. Furthermore, the 2016 third-rounder only took 170 snaps on defense and 192 snaps on special teams in the previous year.

Fewer than 200 plays on defense shouldn’t serve as a barometer for a player’s worth. At the very least, you’d like to see gradual growth, which isn’t evident watching him during the preseason. At this rate, Calhoun will become a core special teams contributor for the upcoming season, but he can still develop at his new position on defense.

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The Raiders don’t expect Calhoun to start, which buys him time to improve his play behind Mack and Irvin without immediate pressure to produce. Ideally, you don’t want to see a third-round pick on a slow learning curve, but his collegiate production suggests he’s capable of contributing when comfortable in a defined role.