The Raiders are reshaping their defense in Henderson, and Quay Walker looks like one of the first players benefiting from the change.
Las Vegas is in the middle of a new era under Klint Kubiak, who is in his first year as head coach, and the defense is getting rebuilt under newly promoted coordinator Rob Leonard. The system Leonard is installing is described as Seahawks-like, with an emphasis on aggression, violence, and discipline at every level.
That overhaul matters because linebacker was a problem area for the Raiders last fall, and general manager John Spytek moved quickly to address it by bringing in former Georgia teammates Nakobe Dean and Walker.
For Walker, the transition comes with a different kind of responsibility. He spent the last four seasons as the MIKE linebacker with the Green Bay Packers, but he is no longer the green dot and main communicator, with Dean taking over that job in Las Vegas.
Walker said Thursday that under Leonard he will be lining up "everywhere" and forcing opponents to dictate where he can be at all times.
Even with a less complicated assignment than being the green dot, Walker said he still approaches every day like he could be running the defense. He stays locked in on down and distance, screens, play-action, and any other situation that might come up. As a WILL linebacker with the freedom to move around, he can line up off the ball, on the ball as a stand-up pass rusher, or as a big dime defender.
That kind of usage could make Walker the enforcer of the Raiders’ defense. And if Leonard keeps putting him in the right spots, Walker appears set up to take another step as one of the team’s top players.
In Other News...
Raiders Preseason Just Became A Survival Test For Fringe Players
The Raiders roster rebuild has turned training camp into a straight-up sorting exercise, with preseason now carrying extra weight for players on the edge. Las Vegas brought in a wave of veterans and draft picks, tightening the depth chart and making every rep matter for anyone trying to hang onto a spot.
For fringe players, there is little room to fade as the games start. The added competition has raised the stakes across the roster, and the next few weeks will go a long way toward showing which players can justify a place in a group that suddenly has a lot more talent and a lot fewer obvious openings. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Cousins Just Sent A Message In Raiders QB Battle
The Raiders quarterback picture in training camp is already drawing attention, and Kirk Cousins is making sure it stays that way. With a competition also involving Fernando Mendoza and possibly Aidan OConnell, the veteran has acknowledged the job battle and appears fully engaged in it, while Mendoza has shown enough early promise to keep the depth chart conversation moving in a real way.
Cousins also has been pushing back with his play, turning in a strong practice session recently as he tries to reinforce his case for the starting role. The mix of a proven veteran and a young passer with upside gives Las Vegas a camp storyline worth watching closely, especially with preseason reps likely to help sort out where everyone stands. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Backfield Suddenly Looks Like A Strength Fans Didnt Expect
Three practices into training camp, the Raiders are already getting a clearer picture of a backfield that looked far less settled not long ago. The offseason work has carried over into camp, and the addition of fourth-round running back Mike Washington has given the group a real jolt alongside second-year back Ashton Jeanty, with both players in the mix for snaps as the roster starts to take shape.
The depth behind them matters, too, because Las Vegas has moved on from Chris Collier and left itself with a cleaner path at the position than many expected. What makes the early camp story interesting is not just the talent at the top, but the possibility that the Raiders have enough trust in the room to carry four backs, which would be a notable shift for a team that entered the summer with questions about its ground game. [Read more 🡒]