The Raiders rewarded cornerback David Amerson with a hefty contract extension last week. A new 4 year, $38 million deal was rather warranted after his strong play for Oakland down the stretch. His strong play wasn’t always the case however as he was released last year by Washington. Amerson, a 2nd round pick in 2013, credits his success to ditching video games.
“It wasn’t really rocket science, to be honest with you. Once I got here, I matured,” Amerson said Tuesday, per Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. “Instead of going home and playing video games all night and stuff like that, it was a much different approach. I was going home and I was in my playbook or watching the film or looking at my notes on whatever team we were playing that week. It was really just the little stuff. That’s what football is.”
The mental preparation is a huge part of the game and can turn good players into great players. The Redskins probably gave up on Amerson to soon but it’s safe to say his release from Washington was a pleasant wake up call. Pro Football Focus called Amerson the most improved player during the 2015 season. He was 5th in the NFL in terms of pass deflections and will man a strong defensive backfield that also features Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson, and the rookie Karl Joseph.
