Raiders need to get Christian Kirksey to Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Raiders have a gaping hole at linebacker and recently released Christian Kirksey could be part of the solution in free agency.
Having a need at linebacker is nothing new for the now-Las Vegas Raiders. They’ve searched aimlessly for answers at the position over recent years, last year trotting out Tahir Whitehead and Vontaze Burfict at the position in Week 1. But with Whitehead now released and Burfict unlikely to return to the team, the hole at linebacker remains.
It stands to reason that, armed with the No. 12 and 19 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, which is top-heavy at linebacker, that the Raiders could aim to address the dire need there. However, the addition of one player won’t do it all. There needs to be quality around an incoming rookie and depth overall. That’s where Christian Kirksey could come into the mix.
Recently released by the Cleveland Browns, Kirksey has been extremely effective and productive when on the field in his young career. In 2016, he was a monster with 148 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss. The following season, the outside linebacker notched 138 total tackles, six tackles for loss and five passes defensed.
The issue, unfortunately, has been the health of the 27-year-old over the past two years. Kirksey was limited to only seven games in 2018 and just two games this past year. Those bouts with poor health and an overhaul at linebacker undoubtedly led to the Browns releasing him. But that could be to the Raiders benefit.
Whitehead being released gives Las Vegas a hole at that spot and it’s one Kirksey could fill. He could provide stability to a player such as Patrick Queen or Kenneth Murray as a young MIKE linebacker, which will help them be effective early in their career.
Perhaps just as importantly, Kirksey’s recent inability to stay on the field should allow the Raiders to sign him to a relatively cheap contract. While cap space isn’t exactly a concern for the franchise this offseason, they also have other potential big plans for that money. Subsequently, addressing needs as they could do with Kirksey on a budget would be a wise course of action.
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Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Raiders and Christian Kirksey already met less than 24 hours after his release, which is a positive sign. But general manager Mike Mayock and Las Vegas need to make sure that Kirksey is one of the players joining the team in the move to Sin City.