After a rough season, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to completely blow up their linebacker room. Last year’s starters Elandon Roberts, Devin White and Jamal Adams were not re-signed.
Adams and White signed with teams earlier in the offseason, but it took Roberts longer to find a team. His wait is finally over. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Roberts has signed a contract to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Prior to joining the Raiders last season, Roberts was with the Steelers for two seasons and started 29 games. It’s a different coaching staff, but he’ll be reuniting with former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Roberts is a solid run defender who puts up good tackle numbers. His main issue is that he’s not great in coverage, especially at this stage in his career. That said, he is very durable and has only missed one game since the 2020 season.
The Steelers should have a very good defense, so it remains to be seen if Roberts will be able to earn a starting job early on. He does know Graham’s style of defense based on his last year with the Raiders, so that could help give him the edge.
Nakobe Dean Signing Called Underrated
The Raiders knew they needed to revamp the linebacker room, which is why they spent big money to sign Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean in free agency. They are younger and more athletic than the linebackers the team had last season.
NFL analyst and former Raiders player Bucky Brooks recently visited the team’s training camp and came away very impressed with Dean.
“The Raiders’ underrated signing of Dean not only filled the team’s need at middle linebacker, but also filled the leadership void that has been missing on defense,” Brooks wrote for Raiders.com. “Despite his diminutive stature, Dean stands out as a fierce competitor and exemplary leader. He sets the tone with his violent play, yet displays the poise and composure to get the defense into the proper front and coverage based on the offensive formation. Additionally, he will challenge his teammates and hold them accountable for their effort and performance, including Maxx Crosby.”
Dean Emerging as Leader
Defensive end Maxx Crosby has been the unquestioned leader of the Raiders’ defense for a few years now, but he has some competition now. According to Brooks, Dean has really emerged as a leader for the defense.
“After watching the Raiders’ retooled defense fly around with reckless abandon, it was apparent that No. 17 is leading the charge,” Brooks wrote. “As the emerging leader of a defense loaded with energetic and hungry defenders, Dean has stepped up and taken the lead as the King of the Jungle.”
Crosby and Dean are working together, so it shouldn’t cause any conflict. Having another strong voice on the defense should only help. As a linebacker, Dean will likely be the one in charge of calling the defense, so it’s important for him to have a strong voice. That certainly hasn’t been a problem so far. This could be one of the best defenses the Raiders have had in years.
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