The Raiders have a need at linebacker. One could say they have several needs at linebacker. So, when one hits the market, it’s natural to wonder if perhaps the Raiders should go after him. And you may be surprised to learn that just because the questions deserve to be asked, that the answer isn’t always yes.
Bradham has been a full-time starter in the NFL for the past six years. He just signed a new 5-year deal two years ago and that deal had an option in it for the team void should they choose to. They chose to and Bradham will enter free agency on March 18, leaving some $5.3 million in dead money behind while saving the team $4.46 million.
Despite being a fairly productive linebacker in his career, I have my doubts the Raiders would or should go after him.
Gruden has followed the same plan as the previous regime to not make the linebacker position a priority and middle linebacker in particular. In some ways that approach has bitten them and in other ways it hasn’t.
Last year began with Vontaze Burfict at middle linebacker and in just his fourth game, he was ejected for targeting and suspended indefinitely; likely ending his career. No one in the league was going to take the chance on Burfict last season but Paul Guenther. So, they didn’t exactly have competition to sign him. We quickly saw why.
Late in the season the Raiders grabbed Will Compton off the couch and plugged him in and he quickly became one of their best defenders.
The previous season it was another veteran, Derrick Johnson who began the season as the starter. The 35-year-old didn’t last long. He was out after six games.
The season before that began with Marquel Lee at middle linebacker, then the team had NaVorro Bowman fall into their laps after being released by the 49ers and Bowman went on to lead the team in tackles in just ten games. Then, of course, they had no interest in re-signing the 30-year-old. And neither did any other team.
The year before that it was Perry Riley, the year before that it was Curtis Lofton. Are you sensing a trend here?
In all that time the team didn’t draft a single linebacker in the top four rounds. That must change.
It’s well past time to make linebacker a priority in the draft. Linebackers in their 30s are not in high demand. The best ones the Raiders have fielded were ones they picked up off the scrap heap midway through the season. While they have had a terrible track record with offseason free-agent additions ta the position.
Bradham will turn 31 in September. If the Raiders want a productive 30+ linebacker, they can just bring back Compton who played so well late last season. Then go out and use one of those two first-round picks or three third-round picks on a linebacker.
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