6 players the Las Vegas Raiders cannot afford to see opt out
Cory Littleton, Linebacker
If it’s one thing the Raiders struggled with all year long it was pass coverage. Cory Littleton was brought in to fix that issue. Littleton is a fantastic coverage linebacker and is arguable the best in the league at it.
Littleton had over 40 stops at the line of scrimmage or behind it, which was a team-high for the Los Angeles Rams last year. And if that isn’t enough to be sold on him, he had 91 tackles and only one missed tackle last season. However, his one Achilles heal comes in rush defense.
He’s super aggressive, and sometimes you want that, but other times it leads to over pursuit. With his signing as a free agent this offseason, he fills a hole the Raiders had all season last year and is a key component to the success of the team on the defensive side of the ball.
What makes him so special is his ability to cover running backs and tight ends. Linebacker is a position that is hard to play in pass coverage, especially in man coverage, but he’s so fast and athletic that he can do it. Playing in the AFC West, you need a linebacker like Littleton if you are going to be competitive.