Raiders' Linebacker Position is in Better Shape Than Most Think

The Las Vegas Raiders are having a great second week of training camp and are heading into their third week. Something good for the Raiders has been the linebackers.

The Silver and Black had a lot of turnover in that position this offseason because the players who left from last year's team. They did lose key players in that position group, but the Raiders did a good job of filling the holes that were left.

Head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek filled up that position group with veteran players. That is something that Carroll likes to have on the defensive side of the ball. The veterans are a big stable for any Carroll-led team. And these veterans have made their presence felt in training camp by the way they are performing. It has been a good thing to see for the team.

These veterans have something to prove as well. Some other teams do not think they can be starting linebackers in the NFL anymore, but the Raiders do. But most of the confidence comes from the players themselves.

The Raiders are giving them an opportunity, and they are not taking it for granted. They are also teaching and helping the young, talented linebackers the Raiders have on their roster.

"I see a lot of physical guys and a lot of guys that have experience playing this game of football. There's knowledge from E-Rob [Elandon Roberts], he's been to the Super Bowl. D-White [Devin White], been to the Super Bowl. Just guys that love football," said Raiders veteran linebacker Germaine Pratt.

Pratt also talked about how it is playing in defensive coordinator's Patrick Graham's defense.

"He's aggressive, more aggressive than I'm what I'm used to. In Cincy [Cincinnati], we were just sitting back, but he's more aggressive. I like it."

It is going to be important for the Raiders to get good play from their linebacker group. He knows that the defensive line is the strong core of the defense, and the linebacker core can follow. That will help the secondary and the young talent that is going to play in that group. The Raiders want to do a better job of stopping the run as well. With a good linebacker core, they can be good at that.