The Las Vegas Raiders found some stability at linebacker for a couple of years when they had Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo on the roster. However, they lost both of them in free agency last offseason.
They decided to go with a bunch of veterans in 2025, with Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams getting most of the snaps. The Raiders had one of the worst linebacker groups in the NFL last offseason, and let all three of those aforementioned players leave.
This offseason, the Raiders gave big money to Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, who should both be substantial upgrades. Out of the two, Dean is considered the more exciting player, but he’s dealt with some injuries in his career.
If he can stay healthy, he’s going to be a major impact player for the Raiders. Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame spoke to an NFL executive who believes he was a wise player for the team to pick up.
“Nakobe brings instincts, leadership and [a winning] mentality to a young team,” an anonymous NFC general manager told Sports Illustrated.
Dean and Walker played together at Georgia, so they should have quick chemistry. The Raiders might have their best linebacker duo in years.
Do Raiders Have Enough Depth at LB?
Walker and Dean represent huge upgrades at the top of the linebacker room for the Raiders, but the position might not be totally set. They have eight linebackers on the roster, but the aforementioned two are the only ones with significant starting experience.
The Raiders are running a 3-4 base, but they’ll also be running a lot of nickel packages, which will only have two linebackers on the field. If Dean and Walker can stay healthy, the depth shouldn’t be a problem, but both players have missed games. It might be wise for the team to eventually bring in another veteran linebacker.
Is Secondary a Concern for Raiders?
The Raiders’ defense didn’t have a lot of talent last year, but that changed this offseason. Though the team didn’t add many big names, they did add some good young players.
The secondary has a chance to take a major leap forward, but that really depends on how a few rookies play. Despite the moves the Raiders made, Verderame thinks the secondary is a problem.
“The secondary is also a significant concern, even with the trade for longtime Bills nickel corner Taron Johnson, who will turn 30 in July,” Verderame wrote. “Johnson has missed nine games over the past two seasons, a sign that being the force defender in Buffalo for so many years is wearing him down. Expecting him to play more than 80% of the defensive snaps, as he did four of the past five years for Buffalo, may be unrealistic.
“If the Raiders can find some help at corner—and perhaps they get lucky with fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy’s knee— that would be a huge boost for new coordinator Rob Leonard. The options are limited on the open market, with the oft-injured L’Jarius Sneed and former Cowboys star Trevon Diggs two of the bigger names still available.”
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