The Las Vegas Raiders knew they needed to improve on defense to be a competitive team in 2023.
They did just that, improving in several defensive metrics compared to the previous season. The Raiders’ defense became dominant under Interim Coach Antonio Pierce and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham.
Not only did the Raiders need to improve defensively, but they needed some of their younger players to become consistent. This was the case for third-year safety Tre’von Moehrig, who did not play his best football in 2022 after a strong rookie season.
Moehrig bounced back from his rough 2022 by having the best season of his career. He posted career-bests in tackles, quarterback hits, passes defended, and interceptions.
According to Pro Football Focus, Moehrig was rarely off the field for the Raiders in 2023, logging 1,105 snaps. He lined up at both safety positions for Graham in 2023, improving in several facets of his game.
His pass coverage was the most substantial improvement in Moehrig’s game in 2023 compared to 2022. While his numbers looked similar on paper, Moehrig got his hands on more footballs in 2023 and did not allow a touchdown in seven of the last eight games.
Moehrig, like his backfield teammate Marcus Epps, is an excellent run-stopping safety. He posted 20 run-stuffs from his safety position, according to PFF. Last season, Moehrig was still stopping the run, but he was getting beat in coverage consistently. This season, Moehrig excelled at both.
Moehrig improved as a tackler this season, dropping his missed tackle percentage from 12.7 to 10.1. In year three, he saw the field much better and put a helmet on the football to stop ball carriers from advancing.
Moehrig’s ball-hawking abilities were at their best in his three years in 2023, recording eight passes defended and three interceptions. The Raiders needed to force more turnovers in 2023, and Moehrig did his part to make that happen.
After the 2022 season, Raiders fans were left wondering if Moehrig was a long-term answer at safety. After 2023, Moehrig confirmed that he could be a major factor for Las Vegas for years to come.
Moehrig’s bounce-back 2023 season helped the Raiders improve significantly on defense. Now, he enters the offseason looking to improve even more in 2024.
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