ALAMEDA –- TJ Carrie hadn’t played safety since high school, so his hesitance was understandable when he was asked to do so at the NFL level.
The Raiders coaching staff asked for a tall task from their best cornerback, an attempt to add coverage ability and speed to an area of weakness.
“You’re going to be hesitant at first before you’re playing at the NFL level and you’re playing at a position you don’t have much experience with,” Carrie said. “But I’m an athlete and I am able to adjust to what’s going on pretty well. The more I practice, the better I get.”
Carrie was pretty darn good without much prep. He started there Sunday, and had four tackles and two passes defensed in a victory over Cleveland. That was due in large part to smarts, savvy and physical ability.
A vote of confidence, however, got Carrie’s mind right.
[BAIR: Raiders injury report: Ellis ready to play; Mack limited]
Assistant secondary coach Rod Woodson, a Hall of Fame player who switched from cornerback to safety later in his career, served as a mentor and an example that Carrie could play well.
“The biggest thing was to understand that I’m capable of doing it,” Carrie said. “Mentally, he really quieted me down and allowed me to believe I could play well at safety. He said, ‘We trust you, we believe in you. Now go get the job done.’ That’s the biggest part of confidence heading into a game, believing that you can get something done. That reassurance really put me at ease.”
Coaching and last week’s experience gave Carrie confidence. That’s a good thing, because it looks like he’ll be asked to play safety again Sunday at Chicago. While no announcement has been made and nothing has officially been decided, Carrie was working with safeties during the open portions of Thursdays’ practice. It is entirely possible like he’s prepping for another start next to Charles Woodson, more maybe several more until Nate Allen recovers from a torn MCL.
"TJ [Carrie] is a really good football player,” defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said. “We like to have good football players around the ball. We’re just trying to find a place where he can be more active and more productive than the middle.”
That means more time for reserve cornerbacks. Neiko Thorpe should start opposite DJ Hayden, with David Amerson coming in as the No. 3 cornerback. Keith McGill is down with a foot injury, but he had fallen out of defensive favor in recent weeks.
Carrie wouldn’t commit to a position for Sunday, but believes he’ll be ready at safety if called upon. He call upon Rod Woodson or Charles Woodson, who has also made the switch from cornerback to safety. Charles Woodson credits secondary coach Marcus Robertson, an former All-Pro safety in his own right, for helping him think and play like a safety. Carrie has plenty of resources to help ease this in-season transition.
“It was great having guys and coaches who have made the switch, and there’s a ton of experience among them at safety,” Carrie said. “That really helps. Being able to pick their brains and understand what I have to do, how far my depth needs to be and what angles I should take has really made this process easier. There are so many intricacies to playing safety, and I have greats all around who can answer my questions.”
