Three free agent linebackers the Las Vegas Raiders should look into after missing out on Christian Elliss
Free agency is still going on, believe it or not. For the Las Vegas Raiders, there will probably be a few more moves they make before they put their full attention and focus on the 2025 NFL Draft. One of those things is likely the linebacker position. The Raiders entered free agency knowing they needed […]
Free agency is still going on, believe it or not. For the Las Vegas Raiders, there will probably be a few more moves they make before they put their full attention and focus on the 2025 NFL Draft. One of those things is likely the linebacker position.
The Raiders entered free agency knowing they needed two more linebackers. Both starters left—Robert Spillane signed a big contract with the New England Patriots, and Divine Deablo took a solid deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
To fill one gap, the Raiders quickly targeted former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts. They liked what they saw and signed him to a one-year, $3 million deal—a bargain considering Roberts could be one of the best value picks in free agency.
Still, they need a replacement for Deablo. The Raiders could address this in the 2025 NFL Draft or keep looking in free agency. They tried to sign restricted free agent Christian Elliss from the Patriots with a contract offer. As a restricted free agent, Elliss could get offers from other teams, but the Patriots had the right to match. On Monday, the deadline for matching, the Patriots kept Elliss by re-signing him, leaving the Raiders empty-handed.
Now, the Raiders have two options: sign another free agent linebacker—stay tuned for my upcoming piece on who’s still available—or wait for the 2025 NFL Draft, which has a strong linebacker class. But, if they were to target another one in free agency there are at least three names that would be good fits.
3 free agent LBs Raiders should target
C.J. Mosley, New York Jets
The Raiders don't need a superstar linebacker. They need a guy who can command the defense, lead, and still make plays. They don't need a Fred Warner, while that would be great, they just need a guy who can be a great leader on and off the field. They need another quarterback for the defense. Mosley, with all of his experience, can be just that.
Last season, despite being cut by the Jets at the end of the year, Mosley had a decent season. He finished with an overall PFF grade of 74.7, a run defense grade of 81.6, and a coverage grade of 61.1. He was a decent linebacker last year on a good defense. He can be just that for Pete Carroll and Patrick Graham as well. And, he should be cheap. His last deal was a 2 year, $17 million contract with the Jets. When you factor in an obvious decline in play with his age, he should be cheaper than $8.5 million a year.
Isaiah Simmons, New York Giants
Every team thinks that they can be the one to fix a young gem that has so much potential but is still so raw. That player is Simmon, and that team should be the Raiders. In Pete Carroll and Patrick Graham's system, he would be great, if he develops well and does what he's supposed to. He's still so young, and he suffers from errors during the game — not knowing his spots and relying too much on his freak athleticism.
But, he can be great. He would be extremely cheap, cheaper than Mosley would be, even for a long-term deal. His last deal with the Giants was a one-year, $2 million deal with the New York Giants, after playing for the Arizona Cardinals his first two years. The Raiders could spend little to nothing there.
E.J. Speed, Indianapolis Colts
This would likely be one of the three options, but in a good defense, he has the potential to be a decent starter, and even still he would be better than some of the inexperienced guys that they do have on the roster. Speed finished 2024 with a 57 PFF grade, so that's not great if you do take those types of things seriously.
If you do, he has a 72.2 run grade. So, there is something to work with. He would be cheap and the third-best option on the market, possibly.
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The Raiders need to get this right regardless.