Although it was far from their biggest problem last year, the Las Vegas Raiders' weak linebacker play was exposed throughout the 2025 campaign. And just one game with Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean in the lineup in 2026 was a reminder that there really are levels to this NFL linebacker game.
Obviously, the situations are a bit different, with Rob Leonard now calling plays instead of Patrick Graham. Plus, the defensive line and secondary talent are both improved, and the offense played much better complementary football in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Oh, and it's one game.
But it was obvious to Raider Nation that a whole new world lay out there for the Las Vegas defense to explore if Walker and Dean could continue to do the things that, frankly, Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams could not, or at least did not, do for the Silver and Black last year.
Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker star in Las Vegas Raiders debuts
Dean and Walker had good production on opening day against Miami, but they didn't necessarily light up the box score. They finished with six tackles apiece, and Dean notched a sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. But their impact goes way beyond the stat sheet.
Outside of one faulty play each (Dean didn't get deep enough and gave up a reception, and Walker was flagged for pass interference), the Raiders' new linebacker duo was stout in coverage. Last year, White and Roberts got abused to the tune of 902 receiving yards allowed between them in 17 games.
For the most part, though, Dean and Walker were able to drop in coverage to help out the secondary, and they patched up several plays in the middle of the field, at least two of which led to "coverage sacks" for the defensive line. Their pressure rushing the quarterback also helped out the secondary.
In the run game, these two assisted the defensive line in a major way, not hanging them out to dry. Their run fits were largely perfect, and despite playing the entire contest (all 55 defensive snaps), each player notched only one missed tackle. Not perfect, but again, much better than a year ago.
Honestly, the new linebacker tandem in Las Vegas doesn't have to be special or do anything crazy to be considered an upgrade over last year; they just need to limit mistakes. But Dean and Walker are so talented that they are allowing Leonard to do way more exotic things than Graham did last year.
Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker give Rob Leonard the freedom to experiment and get creative
Walker's ability to play on the line of scrimmage is a tremendous asset for this defense, as it allows Leonard to mix up the looks behind him. Sometimes, Tommy Eichenberg comes in as a third linebacker. Other times, Walker was up on the line, and the Raiders went heavy with defensive backs.
The fact that Walker can both blitz and drop back into coverage effectively is what allows this to occur. And his ability to blitz from an inside linebacker spot is another weapon, as he can get downhill in a hurry and keep offenses on their heels. No matter where he lines up, anything is on the table.
As for Dean, his closing speed is something to marvel at, so Las Vegas used him at times on blitzes, but also as a quarterback spy on a mobile player like Malik Willis. And even tho Willis is tough to bring down in the open field, Dean took an incredible angle and didn't let him out of his grasp for a sack.
On plays like this, it is obvious that the mere threat of Dean blitzing is enough to occupy offensive linemen, even for a split second, and that allows players like Maxx Crosby to get a rare 1-on-1. And Walker's ability to mix it up inside and set a pick frees up Kwity Paye, who meets Crosby for a sack.
That is just one example, but a compilation of the Raiders' sacks on Sunday shows all the ways that Dean and Walker affect this defense. It's no wonder that Las Vegas wreaked the most havoc in the NFL in Week 1 and finally opened up the playbook with exotic looks, sim pressures, blitzes and more.
Without these two in the heart of the Silver and Black defense, none of it would be possible. Kudos to these two for being the players that they are, to John Spytek for going out and getting them, and to Leonard for opening up a whole new world by utilizing them in fun, creative and effective ways.
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