This is a tough position group for Las Vegas
Heading into the 2025 season, linebacker is a big question mark on the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster. While the Raiders added Germaine Pratt and Elandon Roberts in free agency this offseason, Pratt and Roberts were available because they aren’t game changers and don’t move the needle much.
That begs the question: Do the Raiders have a top-five linebacker in the AFC West right now?
1. Dre Greenlaw, Denver Broncos
2024 Stats: 9 tackles
Greenlaw only played in two games last season since he was recovering from a torn Achilles suffered during the 2023 Super Bowl while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. However, Greenlaw was widely considered one of the better linebackers in the NFL before suffering the injury. He racked up over 120 tackles during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, while also finishing as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-highest graded backer (81.2) in ‘22. Granted, he did dip to 37th and 69.3 in ‘23, but those are still respectable marks. Obviously, it’s unknown how Greenlaw will look post-torn Achilles. However, he’s had over a year to recover and should return to form in Denver this fall.
2. Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs
2024 Stats: 106 tackles, 11 TFLs, 3 sacks, 1 INT, 6 PDs
Bolton is easily the best returning linebacker in the division. He’s carved out a career as a good run defender, posting triple-digit tackles in three out of four seasons. The only year he didn’t eclipse that mark was 2023, when he was injured and only played in eight games. The Missouri product has also been solid in coverage, earning a 66.1 PFF coverage grade that ranked tied for 19th among linebackers last year. While Bolton hasn’t received any Pro Bowl bids yet, one should be coming as he has been a consistent player in Kansas City over the last four seasons.
3. Drue Tranquill, Kansas City Chiefs
Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images
2024 Stats: 94 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 PDs
Back-to-back Chiefs as Bolton’s running mate is also a quality backer. Tranquill has been a pest in the AFC West for six years and two teams now, beginning his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s made his mark by impacting the passing game with 58 pressures over the last four seasons combined, and PFF coverage grades ranging from 64.8 to 74.6. Last year, Tranquill’s 19 pressures were tied for the 10th-most among off-ball linebackers, and his 64.8 mark in coverage was 22nd.
4. Germaine Pratt, Las Vegas Raiders
2024 Stats: 143 tackles, 5 TFls, 2 INTs, 6 PDs
After setting a career high in tackles with the Bengals last season, Pratt heads to the Raiders as a quality run-defending linebacker. He posted a personal best 70.1 PFF run defense grade a year ago, due in part to ranking tied for 19th with 28 defensive stops against the run. That adds some credibility to Las Vegas’ linebacker corps. But the reason Pratt isn’t higher on this list is that he’s coming off a campaign where he gave up the seventh-most receiving yards (659) at the position.
5. Daiyan Henley, Los Angeles Chargers
2024 Stats: 147 tackles, 7 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT, 8 PDs
Henley was primarily a special-teams player as a rookie in 2023, but he got a bigger opportunity on the Chargers’ defense last year and made the most of it by leading the team in tackles with 54 more than second-place finisher Derwin James. The former college wide receiver is known for his athleticism and coverage skills, posting the 11th-best PFF coverage grade (72.9) among linebackers last year while leading the position with nine forced incompletions. He’s also solid against the run, so don’t be surprised if Henley makes some noise and has a breakout performance this fall.
Honorable Mentions: Elandon Roberts (LV), Leo Chenal (KC), Alex Singleton (DEN)