The Raiders are pretty set at linebacker, especially with Patrick Graham’s base defense being nickel. They will play a majority of the snaps with only two linebackers on the field, meaning that Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo will see most of the action.
Spillane and Deablo had fine seasons in 2023 and should be even better in 2024. But who will be the first linebacker off the bench for the Raiders this season? And who will join the duo in three-linebacker sets?
In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he posted his first 53-man roster prediction for the Raiders ahead of training camp. He believes that the Raiders will keep five linebackers and Luke Masterson and Tommy Eichenberg will compete for the No. 3 job. Here is a snippet of what Reed had to say about the position going into the year:
The Raiders use a nickel package with just two linebackers on the field as their base defense, but the kickoff rule change makes it more valuable to have additional linebackers on the roster. “I think it’s going to give linebackers more opportunity to make the team,” linebackers coach Mike Caldwell said recently, “because you’re going to need guys who block and tackle in ways that in the past you haven’t needed before.”
Masterson is a starting-caliber linebacker who will appear on defense frequently in three-linebacker packages and provide injury insurance, though Eichenberg could push Masterson for that role.
The expectation is that Masterson will open the season as the No. 3 linebacker, but don’t be surprised if Eichenberg wins that job at some point during the year. The former Ohio State star is fantastic against the run and can hold up at the point of attack.
After years of poor linebacker play, the Raiders finally have talent and depth at the position. But Graham and the rest of the coaching staff will have to figure out how to best deploy their linebackers.
