When the Las Vegas Raiders welcomed a new leadership tandem of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll this offseason, the fan base knew that changes were going to be made.
Unfortunately, one of those changes was the loss of Robert Spillane, who signed with the New England Patriots in free agency. Outside of Maxx Crosby, he was the most pivotal piece of the Raiders' defense during the last two seasons.
However, the Raiders entered the 2025 NFL Draft with nine picks, and the expectation was that they would choose at least one linebacker. After a handful of tradebacks, the team used their eleventh and final selection on a potential replacement for Spillane.
Raiders swing for Robert Spillane replacement with final pick in NFL Draft
With the No. 222 pick in the seventh round, Las Vegas selected Minnesota linebacker Cody Lindenberg.
At 6-foot-2 and 236 pounds, Lindenberg is the prototypical size for an NFL linebacker, and he demonstrated above-average athleticism at the combine. He spent all five years of his college career playing for the Golden Gophers, but he really came along in his final three campaigns.
Lindenberg totaled 196 tackles, including 13 for a loss and 2.0 sacks during his last two and a half years. Despite missing half of the 2023 season due to injury, he also recorded eight passes defended and an interception in that span.
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He may actually provide better pass coverage than Spillane did, as he recorded 15 coverage stops and four incompletions as a senior at Minnesota, according to Pro Football Focus. Lindenberg needs to get quicker and work on his speed, but he is an excellent project for Coach Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to take on.
The linebacker room, on paper, is perhaps the weakest unit on the Raiders' defense, but the addition of Lindenberg helps. Veterans Devin White and Elandon Roberts project to be the starters, but Lindenberg will battle with players like Tommy Eichenberg and Amari Burney for rotational reps.
It may be a stretch to assume that Lindenberg will be a major contributor for Las Vegas this season, but Coach Carroll will give him every opportunity to compete. If he can at least make the roster and contribute on special teams, then he'll be on the right path toward becoming Spillane, who endured a similar situation to begin his career.