In the last article, we took a look at the defensive line. In this latest installment, we will exclusively look at the linebackers. The other Raiders defensive and offensive positions can be seen in the articles with the same title (this is five of six). Of course, there is a lot of ambiguity when it comes to determining this, so if you disagree or would swap one player out for another, feel free to comment your opinion! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and get the conversation going.
Reminder: this is exclusively for what players did as Raiders from 2000 to 2019. Thus, there may be players who had a great career but aren’t on this list because the end of their careers or tenure with the Raiders was in the early 2000s.
Linebacker: Kirk Morrison
The former Bishop O’Dowd Dragon is more than just a hometown hero. Morrison ranks third amongst all Raiders in tackles for loss with 41. The linebacker made the most of his time in Oakland, as he never missed a game, and started every game in his career but one. In five seasons with the silver and black, Morris managed to have more than 115 tackles every year.
Linebacker: Greg Biekert Â
While the majority of Biekert’s tenure as a Raider was in the 1990s, he was still productive in 2000 and 2001. In those two seasons, the linebacker totaled 242 tackles and five sacks and helped lead the team to the playoffs.
Linebacker: Thomas Howard
In 2007, Howard led all linebackers with six interceptions and ranked second amongst all linebackers with 11 passes defended. From 2006 to 2009, the former UTEP Miner averaged 95 tackles a season. Howard may not a be household name, but he certainly was productive for the silver and black.
Be sure to comment below with any players you feel should be included!
Related: The Raiders All 2000s Defensive Line