The Las Vegas Raiders overhauled their linebacker room this offseason under new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll.
Both Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo, who started for the Raiders in each of the last two years, did not receive a contract offer from the team during the free agency period. These two were replaced with veterans like Elandon Roberts, Devin White and Jaylon Smith.
While many still had outstanding concerns about this unit, Las Vegas swooped in with the signing of Germaine Pratt on Wednesday evening. Now, with a surefire solution at the position, several other players in the room could be expendable.
Raiders' Germaine Pratt signing means writing is on the wall for 2 veterans
Pratt has spent the last five years as a full-time starter with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was a team captain during the 2024 NFL season. With him now expected to start alongside Roberts, the writing could be on the wall for both White and Smith.
Neither of these players signed a deal with any guaranteed money, so the team would take on no financial penalty for parting ways with them. Four veterans in a room with young, emerging players like Amari Gainer and Tommy Eichenberg feels like a bit of a crowd.
At least one of these players will be released before the 2025 NFL season begins, and perhaps both of them. Roberts was quick to praise Eichenberg for his efforts at camp, and the team invested a draft pick in young linebacker Cody Lindenberg this year as well.
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Smith has been running with the second team during the offseason program, according to Mike Dixon, which means he is likely to be the first to go. White also struggled mightily last season with the Houston Texans, so unless he has a resurgence this offseason, it could be curtains for him as well.
Spytek and Carroll have made an effort this offseason to acquire young talent for the Raiders. Pratt is actually older than White and just slightly younger than Smith, but at just 29 years old, he should still have plenty in the tank based on his performance in 2024.
White and Smith, however, have shown significant signs of slowing down during the last two seasons. If they can find another level this offseason with the Raiders, then the more the merrier in the Las Vegas linebacker room. However, the signing of Pratt put both of these players on notice and just made the margins for making the roster that much thinner.
