Too aggressive? Even Vontaze Burfict says former Mississippi State S Johnathan Abram needs to hold back
By Adam Spencer
Published:
When you think of calm, restrained NFL players, Oakland Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict doesn’t exactly crack the top 10. Or the top 100. Or the top 500. In fact, the former Bengal may be the least-chill person in the entire league.
At least until now, maybe. After an Oakland Raiders training camp practice on Monday, Burfict told reporters that first-round rookie S Johnathan Abram out of Mississippi State is too aggressive sometimes.
Yes, you read that right. Burfict told reporters that Abram is making waves with his aggressive play so far this summer:
Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict said rookie S Jonathan Abram “is so aggressive, sometimes I have to tell him, ‘Hey, you’ve got to hold it back a little bit more. We’re on a team.’” pic.twitter.com/kCxzuY7fnW
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 29, 2019
LB Vontaze Burfict said S Jonathan Abram reminds him of himself as a rookie. “He talks a little bit more than me, though. Sometimes I’ve got to tell him to shut up in the huddle. … But he backs it up. You can talk as much as you want, as long as you back it up.”
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 29, 2019
Maybe Abram needs to calm down against his own teammates, but his aggressive style of play will work well during the regular season. Here’s one of his first pro highlights, where he cuts off a pass to make a nice interception:
Wait for it… @JohnathanAbram1 pic.twitter.com/1Ge69bhW7B
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 28, 2019
For now, though, when a guy like Burfict is telling you to chill, maybe you should listen.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
