Oakland Raiders: Obi Melifonwu must leave strong impression during camp

Oakland Raiders safety Obi Melifonwu already has an unwanted spotlight on him. Training camp holds major significance for his 2018 season outlook.

At this stage in the offseason, it’s way too early to put stock into who looks good without pads after a few organized team activity sessions. However, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden set Raiders Twitter ablaze when he talked specifically about safety Obi Melifonwu’s recovery.

“It doesn’t look close at all,” Gruden said Tuesday after OTAs. “I’ll leave it at that. He doesn’t look close, to me, at all.”

Gruden added some context to his terse but stern comments when pressed about the second-year safety.

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“Oh, he doesn’t look ready to roll yet,” Gruden said. “I don’t let anybody practice without being able to go physically. He doesn’t look like he’s 100 percent. I haven’t seen much of Obi — except in the training room.”

For the most part, the Raiders lead skipper shared encouraging assessments about the offseason program’s progress. Gruden’s decision not to dig deep on Melifonwu and reduce his football existence to the training room stood out.

The Raiders drafted the Connecticut product as an asset to cover athletic, receiving tight ends. Travis Kelce and Hunter Henry, who tore his ACL Tuesday, automatically come to mind. Nonetheless, Melifonwu played 34 snaps last season — 26 at cornerback then missed the final three weeks with a hip injury.

In addition to undergoing two surgeries during his rookie campaign, a knee operation before the hip procedure, the coaching staff has its questions about the second-rounder, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur:

"At safety, the new coaching staff is worried about last year’s second-round pick Obi Melifonwu making a contribution. Like, at all. They almost traded up for a safety late in the first round and early second, but then changed course. And then the draft board didn’t cooperate and the Raiders didn’t get one."

Oakland didn’t take a safety in the draft, but the consideration to do so combined with the concern for Melifonwu as a contributor on any level should ring some alarm bells.

Tafur asked Gruden about Gareon Conley and Melifonwu in terms of participating in the offseason program a month ago and he said, “they’re really close.”

The second-year cornerback participated in full at OTAs, but No. 20 remained didn’t have a chance to show his best on the practice field.

Keep in mind the Raiders re-signed Reggie Nelson and added eighth-year veteran defensive back Marcus Gilchrist who’s primarily played safety over the past four seasons. The coaching staff came into the offseason prepared if Melifonwu no-showed early in the program.

Now that we all know he isn’t close to making a full return, all the attention shifts to training camp where position battles are won and lost.

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It’s likely Karl Joseph claims one of the safety spots, but what about the spot next to him? Nelson played the position for two years under Paul Guenther when he served as a defensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the 34-year-old’s struggles last season, his experience with the play-caller gives him a unique advantage. Though, Gilchrist has been a serviceable starter since 2013.

At this point, Melifonwu should have some concern about securing a roster spot, especially if he’s unable to participate in training camp. He has to show the coaching staff something or it’s fair to wonder if Gruden contemplates a trade. Right now, there’s a palpable frustration that the 24-year old must put to rest before in-house doubts lead him to pursue his professional career elsewhere.