Inside the Raiders' LB Room After Free Agency

While Crosby is usually on the defensive line, he's also their weakside linebacker in 3 - 4 defensive schemes. His bread and butter are his arsenal of pass-rush moves, but he has the speed to drop back in coverage if need be.

The Raiders also signed Kwity Paye this offseason to be Crosby's backup on the defensive line, or he could even be their linebacker while they put Crosby on the line. Whatever they decide to do, their linebacker room has agressive blizters and big bodies to come rushing in on the weakside.

One of the linebackers they signed this offseason was Nakobe Dean, who was one of the best pieces in making the feared Philadelphia Eagles defense run. Even though he was only able to play ten games last season, he had four sacks and two forced fumbles, on top of 55 total tackles.

He's slated to be their left inside linebacker and constantly delivers bone-crushing hits over the middle of the field. He can hold up in coverage as well, but his impact will be felt most in his assured tackling and physicality, as well as his help in stopping the run.

If Dean is this physical linebacker, Quay Walker is an athletic linebacker who can do it all, but is much better in coverage. Reuniting these two former Georgia Bulldogs is going to make the middle of the field a hard place to attack for opposing offenses, and their built-in chemistry will make them a formidable linebacker duo.

Walker finished last season with 128 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, five passes defended, and 9.5 tackles for loss. Malcolm Koonce is listed as their strongside linebacker even though he's played as a defensive end for the majority of his career. They signed him to a one-year deal, and if this is what they have in mind for him, I'd like to see how he adjusts to that.