The Las Vegas Raiders are going to have plenty of issues to address during the offseason. While there is no indication that Pete Carroll is in danger of not returning to the organization, the staff will certainly look quite a bit different after the 2025 NFL season.
This roster will undoubtedly undergo significant changes as well, as the starting lineup needs to be dramatically upgraded and the depth should be massively bolstered. Outside of tight end and starting running back, practically every position on the field figures to be a need for Las Vegas.
Linebacker will be one of the biggest areas to address, as young players Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Lindenberg, who have combined to play just 30 defensive snaps this season, are the only two players at the position under contract in 2026.
Raiders could address a major need on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Last offseason, the Raiders opted to let Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo walk in free agency. They instead attempted to fix their linebacker room with several cheap veteran options, signing Germaine Pratt, Devin White, Elandon Roberts, and Jamal Adams to one-year deals.
These moves have not worked, to say the least. Pratt was released after four games, White has brought more bad than good, and both Roberts and Adams have made a handful of plays, but they've been largely ineffective.
Las Vegas remains without a long-term option at the position, so the Raiders should look at this fifth-year senior, who could finish his college career with 50 games played in the SEC, as a Day 2 steal in the upcoming draft. That player is Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson.
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine and Matt Holder discussed why he could be a fit.
"Devin White and Elandon Roberts are two of the most productive linebackers on the roster right now, and neither feels like a long-term answer. Instead, the Raiders need to modernize the group with an investment in the draft. Deontae Lawson could be an answer based on his potential as a coverage linebacker with room to grow at 6'2", 228 pounds."
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Lawson has plenty of experience playing in college football's premier conference, as he has made 47 appearances for the Crimson Tide. The five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class has started 36 of those games, recording 255 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 15 passes defended.
He could wind up finishing his college career with over 50 games played and 40 starts, and figures to be one of the best middle linebackers available in the 2026 NFL Draft. Lawson is a great athlete who has displayed the instincts to thrive in both pass coverage and against the run.
As a potential Day 2 pick, he would help the Raiders fill a major need, as the franchise has sorely lacked a young sideline-to-sideline linebacker for quite some time. While Las Vegas' defense has shown flashes, ranking 12th in total yards allowed, it needs more high-end talent at all three levels.
Adding a linebacker with Lawson's high floor and potentially a higher ceiling would dramatically help the linebacker room. Landing him on the second day of the draft, after presumably selecting an elite prospect on Day 1, would give the defense a much-needed talent boost heading into next season.