Las Vegas Raiders linebacker group dramatically improved for 2020
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker group dramatically improved for 2020
Free agent additions Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski
The Raiders utilized free agency perfectly in terms of upgraded their starters at linebacker for 2020, bringing in a talented cover linebacker in Cory Littleton, and then an excellent run stuffer in Nick Kwiatkoski. The Raiders run a 4-3 defense, and Littleton is expected to play WLB, with Kwiatkoski wearing the green dot, so the only real battle is who plays SLB.
In terms of Littleton, he is not only a solid cover guy, something the Raiders desperately needed, but he is one of the best in the game. PFF had this glowing statistic in their piece.
"His 90.3 coverage grade is fifth-best in the league over the past three years."
That is a breath of fresh air for Raiders fans, who have seen Tahir Whitehead try and cover from his linebacker position in recent years. Whitehead is a tackling machine, posting over 100 tackles yearly, but in coverage, he was an absolute liability.
Kwiatkoski is no slouch in coverage either, and by signing both these guys, the Raiders arguably got the best two linebackers available in free agency this year. They looked to attack this position group, and they did so in a big way.