Preston Brown, Vontaze Burfict, Jason Cabinda, Shilique Calhoun, Will Compton, Bruce Irvin, Derrick Johnson, Emmanuel Lamur, Marquel Lee, Nicholas Morrow, Justin Phillips, Kyle Wilber and Tahir Whitehead have all played at linebacker in Jon Gruden’s first two seasons back with the Raiders.
More names than stats. But those days are over as, for the second day in a row, Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock addressed the position, adding arguably the top linebacker on the board in Cory Littleton.
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Littleton will start alongside new inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, the former Bear added Monday who can blitz and cover a little himself.
Littleton, 26, has a lot of tools in his toolbox. He played 95 percent of the snaps for the Los Angeles Rams the last two seasons. The 6-foot-3, 228-pounder led all NFL linebackers during that span with 26 pass break-ups and was one of three with at least five sacks and five interceptions.
And the contract was pretty reasonable, with the Raiders giving Littleton a three-year deal worth $35.3 million, according to league sources, with $22 million guaranteed.
The Raiders then continued to add to their defense all day Tuesday, agreeing to terms with former Cowboys defensive tackle Maliek Collins, former Bucs pass rusher Carl Nassib and former Cowboys safety Jeff Heath.
In a little bit of a head-scratcher, the Raiders also agreed to terms with 37-year-old former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. Lastly, the book closed on the small chance that Tom Brady was coming to the Raiders, as the former Patriots quarterback is set to announce that he will be joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
First, the defense.
Collins, 24, plays primarily on passing downs and had four sacks and 48 total quarterback pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus. That would have led the entire Raiders defense.
He is a favorite of new Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who was the defensive coordinator with Dallas last season. Terms of Collins’ contract were not yet known.
Marinelli also brought in Heath, a day after the Raiders struck out in trying to lure Jimmie Ward away from the 49ers. Heath, 28, started 13 games for Cowboys last year, and had 22 solo tackles with seven passes broken up. Heath has eight interceptions in seven years and is a big-time special teams player. Incentives could drive his two-year contract up to $8 million, according to league sources.
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There had been a small chance that the Raiders would bring back former first-round pick Karl Joseph, but the Heath signing wipes that out.
Nassib, 26, is a former third-round pick of the Browns who had 12.5 sacks the past two seasons with the Buccaneers. Over his career, he has 18 sacks, 31 tackles for loss and 40 quarterback hits in 59 games. His contract details are also still to come.
OK, back to Witten. The Raiders’ tight end room was already in good shape with Darren Waller, Foster Moreau and Derek Carrier, so adding a veteran tight end for one year and up to $4.75 million, according to ESPN, doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Witten is an 11-time Pro Bowler and no doubt a great mentor for the younger players, but where is the need? Moreau is doing well in his rehab from knee surgery and expected back by training camp.
Witten came out of retirement and had 63 receptions for 529 yards and four touchdowns last season, and Moreau, for one is excited.
“Dude!!! Incredible!!!” Moreau posted on Instagram. “Been my favorite player in the league for years now. Can’t wait to pick the brain of a legend.”
Gruden was also giddy to be signing someone he can share “Monday Night Football” announcing stories with.
Gruden told ESPN’s Ed Werder that the decision was “a no-brainer” because of the “leadership, work ethic and toughness” Witten brings to a young team. “There’s nothing he still can’t do,” he said.
Kind of like Littleton, then. Bringing this all back around, Littleton has six interceptions in the past three seasons, while Raiders linebackers had five combined the last six seasons, according to the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow.
Even better, Littleton matched up with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in 2019 and the Chiefs didn’t throw at him once in 15 plays.
I think defensive coordinator Paul Guenther might be wondering if this is all real.
(Photo: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
