The Las Vegas Raiders knew they were going to have to address the linebacker position for a planned switch to a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.
They chose to do it very early in free agency by adding a pair of former college teammates in Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean.
Walker was a first-round pick in 2022 and has spent his entire career with the Green Bay Packers.
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It’s the latest move on a very busy opening day of free agency.
Quay Walker grade: B+
Walker is an athletic freak, which is a big part of why he was picked in the first round.
That has shown up mostly in his ability to get downhill and bring down ballcarriers. He’s a sure tackler and can be intimidating around the line of scrimmage while also possessing the ability to get sideline-to-sideline.
All of the tools are there, so his ceiling is very high.
He’s also proven to be a capable pass rusher, though there are big questions about his ability in coverage.
While $40.5 million over three years is quite a bit of money for an off-ball linebacker, it won’t break the bank.
Definitely worth whatever risk exists here.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.