Graham's Defense Gives Raiders' Defense a Chance to Shine

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders finished 4-13 last season, yet they lost their starting safety, multiple cornerbacks, and multiple linebackers. Nearly all of those players went on to sign huge contracts elsewhere, even after playing on a bad overall team.

In addition to their performance on the field, a lot of the credit for those massive contracts should go to Raiders' Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham for consistently putting them in the correct position.

Since joining the Raiders, Graham has continued to get the most out of what has generally been one of the lowest-paid defenses in the league. Minus the huge contracts for Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, the Raiders' defense still ranks in the bottom half of the league in defensive spending.

Graham took one of the lowest-paid defenses in the league and put them in positions to succeed for years, leading to bigger paydays down the road. With or without the contracts to match, the production of those former Raiders speaks volumes about their coordinator, Graham.

Veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts joined the Raiders earlier in the summer to help fill the void left by Robert Spillane. Following Organized Team Activities, Roberts, who has been in the league for a decade, noted that he is ready to learn all he can from Graham.

"Oh man, it's not selfish. I feel like if I'm not coming in here every year trying to grow, then I'm just stuck in my ways. This is an adapt-or-die business. And I'm going to always adapt. I'm going to always continually change, because these offensive coordinators in this league, they're getting smarter and smarter, and they are scheming it up every year better and better, even week to week," Roberts said.

"So to answer your question, I definitely, every time I come in, I'm still trying to learn. I'm still trying to think about how offensive coordinators are looking at certain situations, what type of situations they're trying to put us in, and stuff like that. It might not be me making a play, but it's the Raiders getting off the field so we can give our offense another opportunity."

The Raiders need Roberts and the rest of their defense to step up to the plate this upcoming season.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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