Oakland Raiders: Examining strengths, concerns going into 2018 season
Concern: Limitations at Linebacker
Marquel Lee looks like a developing early-down banger at linebacker, but he’s not one to handle coverage responsibilities in space. Tahir Whitehead‘s strength is going downhill against the run. In 2017, quarterbacks completed 73 percent of their passes and threw three touchdown scores when targeting him in coverage, per Pro Football Focus.
Derrick Johnson played 20 snaps during the exhibition period. He’ll turn 36 years old in November. Does he have enough in the tank to cover running backs out of the backfield and athletic tight ends crossing the middle? Will the team consider NaVorro Bowman at some point? Perhaps Nicholas Morrow takes on a larger role as the season progresses.
There’s no doubt Johnson provides leadership in the locker room; he’ll help Morrow’s development. Nonetheless, the Raiders defense needs a playmaker at middle linebacker who can cover, communicate and possesses the quickness to get in position to make a stop on a ball-carrier or receiver.
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Guenther turned the Bengals linebacker unit into a solid group. We’ll find out what he can do with a 35-year-old past his prime, a 2017 fifth-rounder who played sparingly on passing downs last year and a familiar player in Emmanuel Lamur who’s primarily served as a special-teamer for the last three years.