Raiders GM Mike Mayock hinted at needing upgrades on defense. Here’s what he did
.jpg "The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to terms with linebackers Cory Littleton, left, and Nick Kwiatkoski, right.")
It is no secret who the Las Vegas Raiders needed to go after when the free agency period started last week.
The Raiders agreed to terms with 11 players last week and addressed a need that general manager Mike Mayock hinted at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“I just think I have to do a better job managing our roster during the season at certain positions,” he said. “We weren’t particularly good at linebacker this year.”
The Raiders got better in free agency, addressing a big hole at linebacker by signing Cory Littleton from the Los Angeles Rams and Nick Kwitakoski from the Chicago Bears.
Those moves are significant because the Raiders are looking to solidify a position they’ve been lacking at since Khalil Mack, who played linebacker and defensive line for the Raiders from 2014-17.
Littleton produced the past two seasons since becoming the Rams’ starting linebacker, notching more than 100 tackles each season.
Littleton, 26, had a career-high 134 tackles and also had four fumble recoveries, two interceptions and nine pass deflections. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and made second-team All-Pro.
In 2019, the Raiders’ linebackers were poor in pass coverage, ranking No. 29 in Pro Football Focus’ coverage grade.
The Raiders linebackers allowed 10 touchdowns to one interception on 155 pass plays, PFF noted.
Having Littleton and Kwitakoski could help the Raiders in pass and rush defense.
PFF suggests that could happen based on Littleton’s production in pass coverage where he totaled eight pass breakups with six interceptions and a coverage grade of 90.6 the past two seasons.
Kwitakoski, 26, will likely be relied on to shore up the Raiders’ run defense. He played 512 snaps last season and had a PFF overall grade of 72.6. He made 26 stops and had three pass deflections.
A look at the other defensive signings:
DE Carl Nassib
Former Raiders great Ted Hendricks gave a stamp of approval to Carl Nassib, 26, on Facebook saying he is a “hard working, detail oriented and a solid defensive line addition.”
Hendricks should know because Nassib, 26, was the recipient of the 2015 Ted Hendricks Award.
Even Mayock took a liking to Nassib when he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2016, comparing him to five-time Pro Bowler Jared Allen.
Last season, Nassib finished with 34 tackles and six sacks.
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DT Maliek Collins
Collins is familiar face for Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who described Collins as “a hard-nosed guy.”
Collins, 24, and Marinelli were previously with the Dallas Cowboys.
Last season, Collins totaled 20 tackles and four sacks. In the past four seasons, he has 14.5 sacks.
PFF graded him with a 77.7 pass rush grade – good for eighth for interior defensive linemen.
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S Jeff Heath
Jeff Heath spent the past seven seasons with the Cowboys and was reliable.
He was also a special teams force and reunites with special teams coach Rich Bisaccia.
Heath, 28, played in 106 games and had 345 tackles, 24 pass deflections and five forced fumbles, including when he forced Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to fumble out of the end zone that turned into a touchback in 2017.
CB Eli Apple
The Raiders were intercepted on other potential targets in cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chris Harris Jr.
Las Vegas ended up signing former New Orleans Saints cornerback Eli Apple.
Apple, 24, was the 10th overall draft pick by the New York Giants in 2016.
He struggled with the Giants before getting traded to the Saints in 2018.
In the past two seasons with the Saints, Apple had 110 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
