Nobody would accuse the Las Vegas Raiders of making great decisions in free agency in the past few years. They sunk their money into countless failing expeditions, and the team paid the metaphorical price for that. But John Spytek has corrected this injustice, and it's no wonder the Raiders are better.
Nakobe Dean is the foremost example of this.
While everyone touted the Tyler Linderbaum signing, rightfully so, there was almost more concern about Dean's injury history than excitement about what he could do when he's on the field. And only the football gods know if he'll remain healthy, but Dean has been a complete difference-maker so far.
In fact, I'd be willing to go so far as to say that, if he keeps up at this rate, even for just one season, Dean will be labeled as the best free agent addition that the Silver and Black have made in the Las Vegas era.
Nakobe Dean is producing and transforming Raiders' defense in equal measure
To begin understanding Dean's impact on the Raiders' defense under Rob Leonard, let's hear from Klint Kubiak after the team's Week 3 victory, which the team's new linebacker more than played a pivotal role in.
"Leader. He's a leader," Kubiak said. "That's why we signed him: to be a leader [and] to help us win. And the great thing about him is that he doesn't do it alone. He brings others. He brings the best out of other people. He's a great communicator, and he's making us a better team."
That he is.
But the Xs and Os matter as well. Leonard has unleashed Dean as a full-blown weapon on defense, utilizing him in the box, in the slot and on the edge. Offenses have no idea what he'll do. His ability to blitz and take on blocks from offensive linemen is opening things up for everyone around him as well.
Defensive linemen in Las Vegas have help behind them and are getting more 1-on-1s because Dean can mix it up inside. Secondary members are not having to cover as much or as closely because those duties can be pawned off to Dean at linebacker. He transforms what they can do and achieve.
His closing speed is also a sight to behold, as Dean can get after the quarterback in a hurry as a rusher or a spy, and he brings people to the ground quickly and with authority. Not to mention, Dean has produced at a ridiculous rate so far, and he has a penchant for making plays in clutch moments.
In Week 1, he had an incredible sack on Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis when they were challenging toward the end, and he had a forced fumble just a few plays later. In Week 2, he punched the ball out and gifted the Raiders' offense a game-sealing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Last week, he forced another fumble in the final stanza to help seal the game. And it's not like Dean comes alive at the end; he is alive the entire game and a factor throughout. Dean is leading the NFL with 22 solo tackles, has 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, as well as a pass break up so far.
On top of all of that, his intangibles and intelligence are on display every week, as he diagnoses plays and stops offenses before they can even get started. After last week's game, Jeremy Chinn said it best, and it's hard to imagine that he's changed his mind after the display that Dean had in Week 3.
"He’s been the glue to our defense. It’s crazy how much a linebacker in the middle of the field can make such a difference in the back end and front end."
A look at Las Vegas' recent free agent signings shows how great Nakobe Dean really is
I hate to dunk on regimes of the past (not really), but let's just take a look at a sampling of the free agent signings that have been made since the team moved to Las Vegas. For brevity's sake, we'll focus on big-name or big-ticket players, or those who made a positive impact.
You can stop when you read the name of a player who has had the same kind of influence as Dean.
2026 - Tyler Linderbaum, Kirk Cousins, Kwity Paye, Quay Walker, Jalen Nailor, Spencer Burford
2025 - Jeremy Chinn, Eric Stokes
2024 - Christian Wilkins, Gardner Minshew
2023 - Jimmy Garoppolo, Jakobi Meyers, Robert Spillane, Marcus Epps
2022 - Chandler Jones, Bilal Nichols, Mack Hollins, Duron Harmon, Ameer Abdullah
2021 - Yannick Ngakoue, Kenyan Drake, Casey Hayward, DeSean Jackson, KJ Wright, John Brown
2020 - Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkowski, Carl Nassib, Marcus Mariota, Maliek Collins
Meyers certainly has an argument. Ngakoue had a very good year as well. Tyler Linderbaum and Kirk Cousins are off to a great start. But if Dean keeps playing as he has, then won't it be him? Even if it's not and he just ends up in the top three, that's a heck of a deal at 3 years for a hair over $36 million.
Staying healthy and keeping up at this rate will be important, but man, it is hard not to be excited about what Dean has done so far, not just for himself, but for everyone around him. This is a brand-new defense, a very good one, it seems, and a lot of the credit should be given to Dean.
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