Las Vegas Raiders Dream Team: All-Time Starting Defense
By Evan Groat
Las Vegas Raiders Dream Team: All-Time Starting Defense
Linebacker: Ted Hendricks (1975-1983)
“The Mad Stork” was a first round draft pick by the Baltimore Colts, and after spending six seasons with the Colts and Packers, Ted Hendricks was traded to the Raiders after the 1975 season. By the time he joined the Raiders, he had already established himself as one of the top linebackers in the league, winning a Super Bowl and being named First Team All-Pro two times.
The high level of play continued with the Raiders, as he won three more Super Bowls, made four Pro Bowls, and two more All-Pro teams. Hendricks was unusually tall for the linebacker position standing at 6 foot 7. His height allowed him to use his length to be a force in pass defense. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Linebacker: Greg Biekert (1993-2001)
If you asked most Raiders fans when the last time they had a serviceable linebacker, they will likely say Greg Biekert. Biekert was a reliable force in the middle of the defense for nine seasons, as he was a strong tackler and a very intelligent player, posting five 100-plus tackle seasons.
Biekert ranks second in Raiders history with 704 tackles, to go along with 15 sacks, and 24 tackles for loss. One of Biekert’s most famous plays with the Raiders was recovering the would-be sack fumble of Tom Brady in the 2001 Divisional round game versus the Patriots.