Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane truly took the C patch on his jersey to heart in his first season with the Silver and Black.
After four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas signed Spillane to a two-year, $7-million deal last March. He would go on to prove he was worth much more than that.
Spillane turned in a career season, leading the Raiders with 148 combined tackles. The next closest was Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo, who finished with 106. Spillane's tackle ranked him 10th in the league in the category.
The veteran linebacker also posted seven tackles for losses, 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed, and three interceptions while starting in all 17 games. He had previously made just 16 starts in his first five seasons.
Spillane was named one of nine team captains for the Silver and Black in the 2023 season. The rest were quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, wide receiver Davante Adams, edge rusher Maxx Crosby, running back Josh Jacobs, safety Marcus Epps, offensive tackle Kolton Miller, punter AJ Cole, and kicker Daniel Carlson.
The Raiders had a mission to upgrade their defense last season, and they did so through several free-agent signings. Spillane proved to be the most valuable, and if Las Vegas wants to continue its success on defense in the coming years, keeping him on the roster seems to be an obvious choice.
Whatever the future holds for Spillane, who has one more season until he becomes a free agent again, it's bound to include a hefty paycheck. While the 28-year-old linebacker heads into his seventh NFL season, he's showing signs of a potential Pro-Bowl level player.
From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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