Oakland Raiders: Excitement for Obi Melifonwu put on hold

By Nick Sparrow | Sep 5, 2017

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: A detailed view of Oakland Raiders helmets sitting on the bench during the National Anthem prior to their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 18, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Oakland Raiders fans have been excited to see what they have in safety Obi Melifonwu, however, it looks like they will have to wait longer than expected.

On Tuesday afternoon the Oakland Raiders placed rookie safety Obi Melifonwu on IR. The Raiders drafted Melifonwu with their second pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Melifonwu had been battling an ankle injury throughout training camp that limited to in practice and caused him to miss three of Oakland’s preseason games.

Melifonwu had played in the Raiders third preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, getting two tackles in 22 defensive snaps. The Raiders held Melifonwu out of their final preseason game, but many thought of this as a precautionary measure due to his ankle.

As it turns out, the focus was on the wrong part of Melifonwu’s leg.

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It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Melifonwu had secretly undergone knee surgery sometime last week. It remains unclear if Melifonwu had been battling with a knee injury as well as his ankle during camp, or if a new injury occurred during Melifonwu’s lone preseason game.

This is disappointing news for both the Raiders and their fans as Melifonwu was believed to play an important role in Oakland’s defense in the upcoming season. The Raiders secondary has struggled in each of their four preseason performances, so losing depth is certainly concerning. It was also believed that Melifonwu’s role would be to cover tight ends in passing coverage, which was an area that Oakland struggled with throughout the 2016 season and in their preseason performances this year.

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After placing Melifonwu on IR, the Raiders signed safety Erik Harris to the roster. Harris played four games with the New Orleans Saints in 2016. The Harris signing gives Oakland a little more depth at safety, as seventh-round pick Shalom Luani was the only other safety on the roster besides starters Reggie Nelson and Karl Joseph.

The Raiders are able to bring two players off of IR to be eligible to play after eight games.

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