Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) looks to evade the tackle of Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo (5) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Raiders LB Signs with NFC South Foe

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael France | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 9:04 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders lost a linebacker on Tuesday morning when Divine Deablo signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Deablo signed a two-year, $14 million deal with $8 million in one year.

Deablo started in 42 games for the Raiders over four seasons, appearing in 54 total. In 2024, he started in all 14 games he played. Deablo has 288 total tackles to his name, with 166 of them coming as solo tackles.

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco rated Deablo higher than most would in his Top 100 free agents list, slotting the Virginia Tech product in at No. 57.

"This 27-year-old has made a nice transition from college defensive back to NFL linebacker," wrote Prisco. "He is naturally good in coverage, but he also has the speed to chase down plays in the run game. Injuries have kept him out of games at times, but he is worth a look for teams seeking a speed upgrade at linebacker."

The Raiders lost linebacker Robert Spillane to the New England Patriots on Monday and Deablo's departure marks a loss that was somewhat expected. The Raiders have lost several key pieces on the defensive side of the ball -- Spillane, safety Tre'von Moehrig, and cornerback Nate Hobbs.

Las Vegas Raiders On SI's Ezekiel Trezevant wrote in January about the potential of losing Deablo:

Deablo is undoubtedly talented and provides speed, awareness, and other qualities the Raiders will have a hard time replacing. However, Deablo has also missed a decent amount of time during his career. While he had a career season in 2023-24, Deablo has missed time in every season except his rookie year.

He missed half of the 2022-23 season with injury while transitioning to linebacker, as well as two games last season and three games this season. This will undoubtedly be brought up in negotiations.
Still, Deablo's injury history does not mean the Raiders should not resign the veteran linebacker. If the Raiders can retain Deablo without paying his market value, they should do so and do so confidently.

Although Deablo has missed games with injuries, he has played in most games over the previous two seasons. Deablo plays a critical position on the field, and he makes up for the defense's mistakes and deficiencies.

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

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