No position on the Las Vegas Raiders' roster was due for more of an upgrade this offseason than linebacker. The combination of Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams didn't get the job done at all last season, and all three of those players remain unsigned at this point for a reason.
John Spytek and Klint Kubiak made sure history wouldn't repeat itself during the 2026 NFL season, as they signed studs Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean in free agency to strengthen the linebacker corps. What flew under the radar, though, was the addition of veteran linebacker Segun Olubi.
While Olubi doesn't have significant defensive snaps under his belt at the NFL level, many thought he could still be the third linebacker over Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Lindenberg. Dean's absence in the offseason program, though, gave way to those Raiders youngsters, and they took full advantage.
Las Vegas Raiders' young LB tandem seems poised to take next step
Although Eichenberg was perceived to be falling behind in the linebacker battle because Lindenberg has shown out up to this point, perhaps Raider Nation failed to realize that both of these players were ahead of Olubi in the pecking order, and the latter could be kept around purely for special teams.
During OTAs and mandatory minicamp in Las Vegas, it was Lindenberg and Eichenberg who got the majority of the reps with Dean sidelined for an unknown reason. Lindenberg was apparently the first to substitute in, while Eichenberg was just behind him. That leaves Olubi as the fifth option.
If two recent late-rounders end up factoring into the linebacker rotation in favor of a cheap veteran signed to a one-year deal, that is, by all accounts, a good thing for the Silver and Black. Developing your own players is always paramount, and perhaps "The Bergs" have taken a leap this offseason.
Now, it still stands to reason that the Raiders could keep five linebackers on the roster, which would mean that Walker, Dean, Lindenberg, Eichenberg and Olubi would likely make up the room. Keeping three backups in the wings makes a lot of sense due to both Walker's and Dean's injury histories.
Should Las Vegas want to go light at linebacker in favor of keeping another player at another position, though, it may have to sacrifice Olubi. He is clearly behind the pair of young linebackers at this point, so at the very least, their strong performance has put him on the brink of the roster.
It certainly doesn't help Olubi's case, either, that his calling card is being a strong special teams presence. Both Lindenberg and Eichenberg are capable of performing very well in that facet of the game, as the two played the most special teams snaps on the roster a year ago and thrived.
Segun Olubi predicted to miss cut on Las Vegas Raiders' 53-man roster
Along this same topic, The Athletic's Sam Warren recently released his 53-man roster prediction for the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of training camp. Somewhat surprisingly, he left Olubi off the team, with Lindenberg and Eichenberg serving as backups in what is only a four-man linebacking crew.
"With Dean absent from offseason practices, Lindenberg stepped in beside Walker, showing he’s the next man up in the event of an injury. Eichenberg followed when healthy, and the two seem set on being the team’s primary backups.
"Olubi figures to be one of the last players on or off the 53 come late August. The Raiders signed him to be a key special teamer, but he provides little defensive value and has no guaranteed money on his contract. If Las Vegas feels it can replace his special teams roles with others, he might not make the final cut."
Let's be clear: Olubi is not some long shot to make the roster. But if he doesn't have any guaranteed money on his deal, Olubi would be an easy cut for the Raiders to make if it comes down to it, and especially if youngsters like Lindenberg and Eichenberg continue to show promise in multiple phases.
At the very least, Olubi's roster spot is in jeopardy heading into training camp, particularly if he fails to show out or if Las Vegas chooses to only keep four linebackers, as Warren predicted. A month ago, Olubi seemed like somewhat of a lock, but now, he'll really have to fight in late July and August.
Young Raiders beating out a cheap veteran free agent signing isn't necessarily a bad thing. But Olubi can contribute in Las Vegas on special teams, so hopefully, there is a world where they can all coexist. But NFL teams make hard decisions all the time, and Olubi must give them a clear choice to make.
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