The Las Vegas Raiders have some notable voids they must fill on their roster if they hope to open the 2020 NFL season at Allegiant Stadium in style.
Although the Raiders need to address their needs on both sides of the ball, among the most notable position groups is the current state of their linebacker corps. It is safe to say that they will be a point of emphasis considering their lack of depth in the 2019 NFL season.
Las Vegas has already kickstarted the process by doing their due diligence at the Senior Bowl. General manager Mike Mayock has made it no secret where his attention will be in practice.
According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Mayock acknowledged that the Raiders are in the market for linebackers:
“We’ve got to get better,” Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said. “We’ve got linebacker issues. People know that.”
Mayock’s comments indicate that teams around the NFL are well-aware of where the weakness in Las Vegas’ defense lies. As a result, it seems he has made this his No. 1 priority heading into a busy offseason.
It is safe to say that head coach Jon Gruden would agree with Mayock’s concern. Gruden lamented the loss of linebacker Vontaze Burfict for the season after he was suspended for an illegal hit and attributed many of their struggles on defense to his absence.
Fortunately, the Raiders have more than enough resources to fortify the linebacker corps this offseason through free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft. While owning the 12th and 19th overall picks gives them the opportunity to bring in a talented prospect, it would be wise to use some of their cap space to bring in an experienced veteran to pair the rookie with as well.
Regardless, it will be interesting if Mayock can potentially turn their weakness into a position of strength before the 2020 campaign rolls around.
