Tag: Raiders free agency

What condition the position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at LB ahead of free agency

Assessing Raiders level of need at linebacker with free agency approaching

We take a look at the linebacker position for the Raiders ahead of free agency to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Returning starters: Divine Deablo

Depth: Luke Masterson, Darien Butler, Harvey Langi, Curtis Bolton
Free agents: Denzel Perryman, Jayon Brown, Micah Kiser

Deablo earned the starting job entering his second NFL season. After eight start, he was lost for the remainder of the season.

Perryman headed to the Pro Bowl after the 2021 season. He followed that up with 84 combined tackles last season while missing five games and seeing less than 70% of the snaps in five other games.

Undrafted rookie Masterson stepped in for Perryman to make seven starts. He showed some flashes and it may be a risky proposition to expect him to step into a starting job full time.

Condition: Serious

Why: Losing Perryman would be significant. If they don’t re-sign him, they will have to be in the market for his replacement.

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Raiders sign free agent LB Kenny Young

Raiders sign former Rams, Broncos LB Kenny Young

With a couple of roster spots available after the draft and undrafted free agent signings, the Raiders continue to add players today. They have signed former Rams and Broncos linebacker Kenny Young.

The 6-1, 235-pounder was originally a fourth round pick by the Ravens in the 2018 draft out of UCLA.

After spending the better part of two seasons with the Rams, he was traded to the Broncos midway through last season.

Young started 13 games split between the Broncos and Rams in 2021 putting up 75 combined tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks, making for his best season in the pros.

The 27-year-old inside linebacker joins a group led by Denzel Perryman coming off his first Pro Bowl in 2021. The Raiders also added Jayon Brown, Micah Kiser, and Kyler Fackrell this offseason.

Also see: Top 5 wide open position battles for Raiders

Raiders sign former Chargers DT Damion Square

Raiders sign former Chargers DT Damion Square

Gus Bradley will have another familiar face on the field for the Raiders. They are adding former Chargers veteran defensive lineman Damion Square off the Bears practice squad according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The roster for the Raiders is rather deep at the defensive tackle spot even with the loss of Gerald McCoy, who was carted off the field Monday night. But that seems to be the way they like it.

After entering the league with the Eagles in 2013, Square played six seasons with the Chargers, both in San Diego and Los Angeles. He was elevated from the Bears’ practice squad for their season opener, playing five snaps on defense.

Square joins a long list of Gus Bradley coached players including CB Casey Hayward, LB Denzel Perryman, LB KJ Wright, DT Darius Philon, DE Yannick Ngakoue, and S Roderic Teamer.

Aside from Teamer, who was injured for the game, all of those veteran additions played key roles in the Raiders’ season-opening win over the Ravens. So, clearly adding Bradley players to run his defense is working for them.

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