The Oakland Raiders made a colossal mistake in the 2019 NFL Draft. Under then-general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden, the team selected Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick.
While Ferrell has put together a thoroughly average NFL career thus far, he never earned a second contract with the Silver and Black. The worst part was not his lack of production, but that the team passed on several elite players who were available like Devin White, Josh Hines-Allen and Rashan Gary.
Fortunately, the team grabbed Maxx Crosby in the fourth round of the draft that year, so the Raiders were able to salvage a decent pass rush. It took years, however, to make up for their mistake and finally acquire Devin White, which they did this offseason under new general manager John Spytek.
Raiders veteran LB is quietly on the chopping block
White was taken with the very next pick in the 2019 draft, and the LSU linebacker got off to a hot start in his NFL career. He earned a Second-Team All-Pro nod in his second season and made the Pro Bowl the following year. White was a pivotal part of Tampa Bay's Super Bowl victory as well, but his level of play has fallen off in recent years.
He signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Raiders this offseason worth $1.17 million. The kicker, however, is that none of this money is guaranteed, so White could quietly be on the chopping block in Las Vegas if he cannot prove that last year's poor performance was an anomaly.
The Raiders added a handful of other veteran linebackers like Elandon Roberts and Jaylon Smith into the fold this year as well. Rookie Cody Lindenberg is also highly regarded after a strong college career at Minnesota.
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If any one of these linebackers emerges, it could make White expendable, especially considering that the team faces no penalty for releasing him at any point. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham typically has just two linebackers on the field, so the room was expected to be thinner than average anyway.
Smith has experience with Graham dating back several years, and players like Amari Gainer have spent more time in the system already. The OTA and training camp periods will be crucial for the former LSU Tiger as he attempts to revive his NFL career in Sin City.
General manager John Spytek was in the Buccaneers' front office when White was selected by the franchise, so he may feel some allegiance to him. However, this team is being built based on competition, and those who underperform will not have a spot on the roster.