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Linebacker
We saw the Raiders kick off the start of this linebacker rebuild journey when they released Tahir Whitehead to save $6 million in cap space. Not many were surprised by the move when you look at the combination of the money they’d be saving and how bad he was in coverage over the last year. Opposing quarterbacks had a 78.8% completion percentage and 140.4 QBR when targeting him.
Despite the leadership he brought and his ability to tackle, it was only a matter of time before they let Whitehead go. This league has transitioned to needing linebackers that can cover backs and tight ends, as well as work sideline to sideline quickly. Luckily for the Raiders this draft class and free agent class are loaded with talent that can do so.
With the Raiders having two first round picks, five in the top 100, and nearly $55.5 million in cap space they should easily be able to not only find their linebacker(s) of the future but also solidify some top end veteran talent. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw them go after both the top free agent prospects in Cory Littleton and Joe Schobert, specially if they missed out on any of the top cornerback options.
Free Agent Options: Cory Littleton, Joe Schobert, Blake Martinez
Draft Options: Patrick Queen (LSU), Kenneth Murray (OU)
Defensive Back
The one group that had the most turnover and overall confusing/disappointing year was the defensive backs. What we saw on the field Week 1 was drastically different from the group we saw Week 17. From rookie safety Johnathan Abram ending his season after their first game against the broncos, to fellow safety Karl Joseph getting hurt for the year as well against the chargers, to former first round pick Gareon Conley getting traded to the Texans. This squad saw many different starters at many different positions by the time seasons end came around.
The silver lining to the long season this group endured is getting to see Trayvon Mullen come into his own during the last half of the season. He showed great ability to cover some top notch talent and will be a great piece to build around in that secondary. The coaching staff also seems to really like first year corner Keisean Nixon who saw an uptick in playing time also once Conley was moved.
The Raiders need to bring in talent from every avenue to help bolster the back end of this defense. Starting in free agency by going after the top names like Byron Jones or James Bradberry would be a great place to start. Getting a young veteran in there to be a shutdown guy and bring along the young talent the raiders already have would be ideal.
If they could find a way back into the second round of the draft, they could find themselves in play for one of the top corner talents as a run on quarterbacks and tackles early might push some positions down the board.