New Raiders LB Discusses New Surroundings

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael France | Last updated Mar 14, 2025 5:30 PM ET

Elandon Roberts was a leader in New England and Pittsburgh, which is why he was such a prominent figure in the defenses of Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin.

When the Las Vegas Raiders lost linebacker Robert Spillane, they knew there was a big need for leadership in the second level. After all, it left the Raiders with young linebackers Tommy Eichenberg, Amari Burney, and Amari Gainer.

Mentorship doesn't phase Roberts, who has nine years in the NFL under his belt.

"It's very important. It's very important," Roberts said. "That's why I say, today I'll be making sure I create a group message with those guys, introducing myself and stuff like that, because it's very important. They're young. It doesn't mean because you're young that you can't do great things for organization. I'm just talking about from a standpoint ofshowing them, like, 'Hey, man, look, just because I'm in year 10, I don't have all the answers. We're going to do this together, we're going to take it one day at a time, and we're going to put a product out there that not just the organization, but the city of Las Vegas can respect.'"

Roberts is a fan of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who was one of the biggest stories for the Raiders early on into the offseason; the veteran coordinator's scheme is multiple defenses and suits Roberts' cerebral, downhill play.

The former Pittsburgh Steeler said that there is some familiarity with the scheme already.

"Because obviously some places that PG [Patrick Graham] was, it was the same scheme and stuff. I'm pretty sure that it might change up a little bit," he said. "Schemes defensively change up all around the league, even with defensive coordinators. Obviously, Pat Graham has been here, I'm pretty sure he's going to change stuff and his scheme since he has been in because offenses change and stuff like that. But I think his base standard of how he does things and whatnot, I think that just in my early years of being in the Brian Flores systems and stuff like that, I think the familiarity is very similar but different in their own way."

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

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