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3 dream trades for the 2019 Oakland Raiders at the deadline

By Daniel Davis

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: (EDITORS NOTE: DIGITAL FILTERS WERE USED IN THE CREATION OF THIS IMAGE) A match ball is seen during the NFL match between the Oakland Raiders and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium on September 28, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: (EDITORS NOTE: DIGITAL FILTERS WERE USED IN THE CREATION OF THIS IMAGE) A match ball is seen during the NFL match between the Oakland Raiders and the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium on September 28, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 08: Middle linebacker Eric Kendricks #54 of the Minnesota Vikings takes the field against the Atlanta Falconsin the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

The fourth-year pro is in the prime of his career. The 2015 second-round pick has been one of the best linebackers in football this year. In the eight games he’s played, he has 68 tackles with many of them being run-stops behind the line of scrimmage.

What’s important to note about Eric Kendricks is not really any skill he has that no one else does, but rather his opportunities to make plays.

We always hear about running backs being patient, waiting for a hole to open up, or not dancing around behind the line but rather running with the offense and waiting for them to make a hole. Kendricks is much the same way but on defense. He has excellent gap control and understands not being aggressive on rush defense.

He doesn’t shoot up the holes like most linebackers do, but rather forces the running back inside and back towards the defense to make plays. He sets an edge very well and once he gets an angle on you, he doesn’t stop until he’s tackled you.

Kendricks is one of the best pure run-stopping linebackers in the NFL right now, if not the best.

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