While the Las Vegas Raiders traded away star Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, the team has been one of the most active teams at the start of free agency. Besides the Raiders signing star offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum to a huge deal, the team has added two impactful linebackers on free agent deals.
The first is Las Vegas acquiring former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean, who was signed to a three-year, $36 million deal, according to Jordan Schultz. Adam Schefter of ESPN would later report that Dean is getting $20 million guaranteed from the team.
“BREAKING: The #Raiders are signing former #Eagles LB Nakobe Dean to a 3/36M deal per sources. The former Georgia Bulldog started 27 games for Philadelphia and is one of the best blitzing linebackers in the NFL,” Schultz wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The other linebacker is Quay Walker, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, who is getting a three-year, $40.5 million contract, which includes $28 million guaranteed, per Schefter.
“Comp update: Raiders are giving Quay Walker a three-year, $40.5 million deal that includes $28 million guaranteed, per agents Kyle McCarthy and Todd France,” Schefter wrote on X.
New Raiders linebackers have a major connection
An interesting nugget about the two players joining Las Vegas is that both were also teammates while with the University of Georgia from 2019 to 2021. Both came out of the 2022 NFL Draft, where Walker was selected by Green Bay with the 22nd overall pick, while Dean was a third-round pick by Philadelphia.
Now, the two look to lead the Raiders' linebackers room, which has been made over, but it stretches to the rest of the team as Las Vegas has made its presence felt in free agency thus far.
The Raiders look to improve after finishing with a 3-14 record, which put them last in the NFL, though the team now has the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, with the choice likely to be Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
