Before Quay Walker even signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, he was linked to the team because of the Silver and Black's clear need at linebacker. We weren't initially in favor of this pairing due to the reputation that Walker carried. After he signed, a Green Bay Packers expert warned us:
"One week, Quay Walker looks like an All-Pro. Others, fans want him benched," Lombardi Ave's Freddie Boston said. "Concerns in coverage and his overall inconsistent play have prevented him from truly reaching his potential."
At the beginning of the year, Walker was as consistent as they come, and he had evolved in a new role under Rob Leonard. His coverage was better, and he and Nakobe Dean had transformed the Raiders' defense, which was among the very best in the NFL through the first four weeks, by several metrics.
But over the last few games, Walker has devolved back into the player that Packers fans and experts warned us about. Obviously, the overall defensive environment has worsened since then, and Walker is not solely to blame, but hopefully he can right the ship and get back to where he was in September.
Quay Walker's coverage issues are popping back up for Raiders' defense
Walker has blurred the lines this year between an off-ball linebacker and an outside linebacker on the line of scrimmage, and that helped to keep him out of coverage, or at least to hide his deficiencies in that realm at the onset of the year. Look at how he fared in Weeks 1-4, compared to Weeks 5-7.
(Data courtesy of Pro Football Focus).
Weeks 1-4 | Weeks 5-7 | |
|---|---|---|
Targets | 14 | 17 |
Receptions Allowed | 10 | 17 |
Rec. Yards Allowed | 64 | 193 |
Rec. TDs Allowed | 0 | 2 |
That is a staggering disparity.
Somehow, offenses have found a way to begin picking on Walker in coverage again. The disguises that Leonard used in the first few weeks are now being seen right through, and Las Vegas' veteran linebacker is being taken advantage of through the air by opposing teams.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, after these past three weeks, Walker has now been targeted more than any other Raiders defender not named Eric Stokes. Walker has given up the most receptions and receiving yards on the team, despite playing just the fifth-most coverage snaps. That's an issue.
Of course, Walker was dealing with an injury last week, and the entire secondary's coverage woes have been exacerbated by a poor pass rush that is giving quarterbacks way too much time to throw and route-runners way too much time to get open. All of these factors matter.
That said, it is on Walker to guard his yard when called upon, and in the last three weeks, he has not done that. This is far from the biggest issue for Las Vegas on defense, but Walker is getting paid good money to be a net positive, and he's been more bad than good over the last three contests.
How can Las Vegas help combat Quay Walker's coverage deficiencies?
If Leonard changed something in Walker's role after Week 4, the simple solution is to revert back to what was working in the first quarter of the year. If opposing offenses have figured out the Raiders' plan for Walker, then it is time for an adjustment.
Las Vegas should probably keep Walker out of coverage as much as it can, which would mean sending him in as an extra rusher or a spy on passing downs. With five players going after or hanging near the quarterback, the Raiders would need more coverage help on the back end.
So, they could operate out of nickel or dime packages more often and not task Walker with coverage more than they need to.
In Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams, Leonard and Co. felt like they had to match their opponent's heavy personnel and roll with three linebackers, but it was a futile effort. They would have been much better off letting Taron Johnson cover players rather than Walker or Tommy Eichenberg.
Walker also plays a handful of snaps in the slot per game, which has led to him being lined up against receivers like Keon Coleman, Puka Nacua or Khalil Shakir. That is always a bad matchup, so keeping Walker out of the slot could help as well.
There is no simple fix for something like this, but Leonard is supposed to be a creative play-caller who can work around players' deficiencies. He figured out how to use Walker in a tremendous way before, and he can rack his brain and do it again. And he's still way better than what the Raiders had in 2025.
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