As can be said for most positions on the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster, the linebacker spot has changed a bit during this offseason. Some familiar faces remain, but there are a couple of new players on the roster. In addition to that, there are a couple of young players that can make a name for themselves in 2022 as well. Let’s take a look at the Raiders’ linebacker room as a whole.
Who are the starting LBs for the Raiders?
Leading off this group is a standout name in Denzel Perryman. Perryman joined last season, and in his first year with the Raiders, he made an immediate impact. Denzel finished sixth among NFL defenders in all positions in tackles last year with 154. Perryman also had the second-highest pass-rushing grade of all linebackers, with a Pro Football Focus grade of 84.0. He solidified himself as a stalwart in the Raiders’ defense, and fans hope he’ll continue that in 2022.
The likely candidate for the strong-side linebacker position is Divine Deablo. He was selected by the Raiders in the 2021 draft and earned a ton of minutes towards the end of his rookie season. Deablo played well and showed some promise in run-defense. He didn’t get a ton of action until the end of the year, but when he did, he played well, and he figures to be a starter this season.
As for the weakside linebacker position, it remains up for grabs. There are several candidates, but no names that really jump out. While there is no standout at this position, there is more than enough depth. Jayon Brown, Micah Kiser, and Kenny Young are players that could contend for the starting role. The possibility of a committee or platoon at weakside linebacker remains as well.
The Backups
As for the backup positions, they really are a loose bunch. There aren’t any strict roles for the positions these players are backing up. One thing Las Vegas did well over the past year or two is bring in a lot of versatile players, and that shows with the Raiders’ linebacker group. If a starter does go down during the season, any of these players could be ready to fill in that role.
The player in this group with the highest chance of starting is Jayon Brown. He is one of the more experienced players on this list. Jayon was drafted by the Tenesse Titans in the 2017 draft and spent a couple seasons with them before signing with the Raiders this offseason. Brown’s best year came in 2018, his second year in the league. He recorded 107 tackles, six sacks, and 18 quarterback pressures. Brown has struggled with injuries during the past two seasons but is just 27 and has a lot of talent to bring to Las Vegas.
Because of his previous success, Brown will get the most amount of playing time compared to the rest of these depth players. Kenny Young and Micah Kiser are both former Rams, and they’ll serve as depth behind Brown. Neither of these two have made any significant NFL contributions, admittedly. Still, both are experienced and are more than capable of getting the job done if the Raiders are in a pinch.
The Raiders’ linebacker group will be rounded out by Kyler Fackrell, Luke Masterson, and Darien Butler. Fackrell has the most experience of the three. He’s spent time in Green Bay, New York, and Los Angeles during his six-year career.
How good is the Raiders’ LB room?
Overall, this group is not among the strongest on the Raiders’ roster. With that said, there is plenty of talent. Their leader, Perryman, is an All-Pro caliber player and is the heart and soul of this unit. Deablo is the younger star of this group, and he has a ton of room to grow. Other than those two, the group is mostly made up of several versatile depth players. While not the strongest on the team, this squad leaves little to be desired.
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*Top Photo: Getty Images/Heavy