The Las Vegas Raiders‘ defense was thought by many to be one of the best in the league heading into this year. Patrick Graham’s side of the ball had a great run to end the 2023 season, and the unit seemed to have plenty of talent across the board moving forward.
While the defense hasn’t been all it was made out to be 15 weeks through the ’24 season, there’s still been some positives from the squad.
One group that has played well in particular is the linebacker position. They haven’t been perfect, but the unit led by Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo has been one of the most consistent position-groups on the roster.
However, the Raiders do have one problem: This offseason, Spillane and Deablo, in addition to Luke Masterson and Kana’i Mauga, will all hit free agency.
Obviously, having four players at one position hit the open market simultaneously is far from ideal. Las Vegas would like to retain at least one or two of those players, but if they aren’t able to, linebacker will be a spot that needs filling.
With that in mind, these three linebackers could be just what Las Vegas needs.
Las Vegas Raiders: Taking a closer look at three free agent linebackers
Elandon Roberts: A certified run-stopper
The Raiders haven’t been bad against the run in 2024, but they definitely haven’t been great, either. There’s many defensive pieces across the roster that could be leaving this offseason. That welcomes the possibility of a multitude of run-stopping talent playing elsewhere next year. By bringing in Elandon Roberts, Las Vegas could negate that a bit.
Roberts has been in the league since 2016. During that time, he’s become one of the most consistent linebackers in the sport. The strength of his game is against the run, as he’s one of the most reliable tacklers in the league. Pro Football Focus has given the 30-year-old an extremely impressive 91.1 run-defense grade for his work this season; the fourth-highest of all players at his position.
Roberts is admittedly not the greatest in pass-coverage. However, his ability to stop the run makes him a must-have during any contest. When used correctly, he’s an excellent piece, and could be a great pickup for the Raiders.
Dre Greenlaw: Proven production for the Las Vegas Raiders
If Dre Greenlaw didn’t tear his Achilles during the Super Bowl last season, he’d easily be the best linebacker in this free agency class. Unfortunately, for good reason, that injury took quite a while for Greenlaw to recover from. He just made it back onto the field during the San Francisco 49ers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams this past Thursday.
By inking Greenlaw, you know you’re signing a player who can perform at a high level. He’s been great against the run and has proved to be an asset in coverage as well since coming into the league in 2019. However, you also have to factor in the injury history that comes along with him.
Greenlaw missed most of the ’21 season with a groin injury. His ’24 campaign has obviously been severely impacted by the Achilles injury. Those factors may drive his price down in free agency, which could help the Raiders. Yet, it’s also something to potentially be weary of.
Nonetheless, we know the skill is still there. If the price is right, Greenlaw could be a name to watch out for this offseason.
Jamien Sherwood: Young, with a load of potential
Since being drafted by the New York Jets in 2021, Jamien Sherwood hasn’t had many chances to start. That’s changed in a big way this season. Sherwood has started 12 games for the Jets, making quite the impact in a short amount of time.
The fourth-year linebacker has done his best work against the run, as most players at his position do. Sherwood already has 78 tackles on the year, with nine of them being recorded behind the line of scrimmage.
Now, Sherwood does have some work to do when it comes to defending passes. However, he’s athletic, with a quick first step and sideline-to-sideline mobility. All the tools are there for him to be successful in coverage—he just has to put it all together.
Sherwood is hitting the market for the first time in his career, and will be only 25 years of age entering his ’25 campaign. If the Raiders could scoop him up, they’d likely have solid linebacker play for the next few years.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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