 Raiders’ Roster Concerns Under Pete Carroll:
There’s been an unusual wave of optimism surrounding the Raiders lately, and frankly, it feels suspicious. Raiders fans are used to thriving amid chaos and disappointment—not hearing talk of solid drafts and a promising outlook. Something doesn’t feel quite right.
Surely, there’s a weak spot on this roster that will derail things the moment Patrick Mahomes is marching downfield in crunch time, right? Luckily, ESPN took on the thankless task of pointing out each NFL team’s biggest vulnerability, and for the Raiders, they’ve identified a potential problem at outside linebacker.
ESPN highlights the Raiders’ lack of proven talent at the position. Devin White, currently their top option, barely saw the field for the Eagles last year and made just one start after landing in Houston. His reputation includes frequently overrunning plays and struggling in pass coverage. Behind him are Amari Burney—who only played 9.1% of the team’s defensive snaps last year—and Tommy Eichenberg, with even less at 7.2%.
While linebacker depth may not be the most panic-worthy concern, the lack of proven talent is hard to ignore. Still, for now, fans are enjoying the honeymoon phase with Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. And no underwhelming linebacker group is enough to dampen that early-season buzz—at least not yet.
