Tahir Whitehead‘s Raiders run will end after two seasons. The team released the veteran linebacker on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders have since announced the move.
One season remained on Whitehead’s three-year, $19MM deal. The Raiders cutting Whitehead will save them $6.25MM, bumping their cap-space figure up north of $56MM.
Set to turn 30 in two weeks, Whitehead provided durability in Oakland. Part of Jon Gruden‘s initial free agency class upon coming back to the NFL, Whitehead started all 32 Raiders games during his tenure. He has not missed a start since the 2016 season and has only missed three games in his eight-year career. The former Lions starter also extended his streak of 100-tackle seasons to four during the Raiders’ Oakland swansong, posting 108 stops.
Whitehead was by far Oakland’s tackles leader in each of his two seasons there, registering 126 in 2018. But he is no longer in line to be part of the franchise’s Las Vegas run.
This will leave the Raiders in need at multiple linebacker spots. They relied on Whitehead last year after signings of Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall did not work out. Although Burfict has since been reinstated from his suspension, the perpetual suspension risk is certainly no lock to come back. No Gruden-era draftee resides on Las Vegas’ roster at linebacker, pointing the Raiders toward addressing this area in both free agency and the draft.
IMVHO, trade back from the #12 to something around #20, and pick up a high #2.
Then with 3 picks in say the top 35 or so, pick two LBs. I like Queen, and then either Baun or Murray. That other high pick could be dedicated to anyone that falls in the draft.
If Henderson or Chaisson fall to #19, I’d pick them, and take any of the LBs that fall. I’d add a WR via FA. But I’d like to see 3 defensive picks to follow up with last year’s defensive picks.
We have a QB, a RB, TE, Slot, WR2, and a good O-line. And we have a few core young people on defense, but we need more.
Aight then
Someone get this guy a cappuccino
Ironman, I think he’s had enough.
We need a #1 receiver, linebacker and a corner…if Jeudy or Lamb are available at 12 I’d go for it and give Carr a legit WR target to see if he is the QB of the future or not
How was $6 million/season money not well spent on this guy? Tackles leader, durable, defensive leader.
Made too many tackles 7 yards past the line of scrimmage ..
Exactly. He was a tackling machine and rarely missed games but an awful cover guy and ineffective blitzer
Thanks for the info. Not easy being a linebacker these days. Expected to be both DB and DE.
Was a good run stopper and that’s about it. Awful blitzed and pass defender. Couldn’t cover himself in bed if he was asked