Ahead of 2024 Training Camp, Raiders.com is previewing each position group and evaluating the players that could make up the 53-man roster. Let's take a look at the linebacking corps.

New players

Tommy Eichenberg, Amari Gainer

The Raiders continued bolstering their defense through the draft, with Tommy Eichenberg being one of the more high-profile players selected.

Despite being a Day 3 pick, his collegiate resume ranked among the best of players available in the entire draft. The two-time team captain for the Ohio State Buckeyes compiled 268 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five pass deflections in four seasons. He was named the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2023 and earned back-to-back First-Team All-Big Ten Conference honors. Additionally, he was named the 2022 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP after racking up 17 tackles against Utah. Several NFL analysts believe he could become an immediate contributor for the defense as a rookie.

"Tommy, he's a football guy," said Mike Caldwell, run game coordinator and linebackers coach. "He's a guy that being from Ohio, understands what football means, and he's a tough, hard-nosed, old-school linebacker. He has his pen out taking notes. He's really diligent in trying to learn the game, and so far he's done a real good job."

The team also signed Amari Gainer, a UDFA out of North Carolina. Gainer's most productive college years came at Florida State before leaving for Chapel Hill as a graduate transfer. With the Seminoles, he totaled 210 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, six sacks and five forced fumbles.

Returning players

Amari Burney, Darien Butler, Divine Deablo, Luke Masterson, Kana'i Mauga, Robert Spillane

After the Raiders signed Robert Spillane in free agency last offseason, he and Divine Deablo became an impressive linebacking tandem.

Spillane was seen more as a run-stopping, third-down linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in the Silver and Black, he quickly proved he had much more in his repertoire. He led the team in total tackles (148), solo tackles (82) and caught a career-high three interceptions.

Deablo, who was coming off a season-derailing shoulder injury sustained in 2022, also had a productive season with a career-high 106 total tackles and four tackles for loss.

While all signs point to Spillane and Deablo running it back together, Luke Masterson will continue to push for starting reps as well. The former safety turned linebacker from Wake Forest has played a lot of meaningful snaps for the team and has continued improving throughout his career. The 2022 UDFA has only missed one game in his NFL career so far, totaling 47 solo tackles and two forced fumbles in 33 games (eight starts).

"You've got three guys that have played, understand the game and have been productive for us," Caldwell said. "It's a pleasure for me being able to come into a room where you have guys that have done the job, understand how to do it. Now we can just work on getting better."

Amari Burney and Darien Butler will be using this year's training camp to fight for special teams and rotational reps. Burney was a sixth-round pick out of Florida in 2023, playing in seven games his rookie season.

Butler spent the entirety of last season on injured reserve after appearing in 15 games in 2022. The former Arizona State linebacker also played under Antonio Pierce in college.

Rounding out the mix is Kana'i Mauga, who's been on the practice squad since 2022. He played in five games last season.