Raiders.com is rolling out its annual position breakdown series, previewing every position group in the lead up to training camp. Now it's time for a peek at the linebacking corps.

What's new

The Raiders linebackers room has nearly made a complete 360 from last season after bringing in a couple notable additions in free agency.

The biggest move was reuniting college teammates Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, who won a national championship together at Georgia. Their collegiate success has transferred over to the NFL level. Walker was a vital piece of the Green Bay Packers defense since being drafted in the first round in 2022. With tremendous size and length to rush the passer, he's mainly been an asset at the second level, amassing over 100 total tackles in each of his four NFL seasons.

As for Dean, he brings a Super Bowl pedigree with him to Las Vegas from the Philadelphia Eagles. He has 229 total tackles and 19 tackles for loss in his career. And despite missing eight games in 2025 recovering from a knee injury the year prior, he set a career-high in sacks (four) with a 40.7 quarterback pressure percentage, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

"The cool thing is with those two, they'll get a lot of the attention," linebackers coach Ronell Williams said of Dean and Walker. "And I told them in our early meetings, 'The good Lord blessed y'all with some things that you can't teach.' Quay is 6-foot-4, 245 pounds and he can move. The thing that makes me excited is he has room to grow and develop in his game. With those intangibles and that mindset, [there's] a ton of plays that Quay is excited about."

"The coolest part about Nakobe, you watch his film, he's super violent," Williams added. "But he's probably more cerebral, as violent as he is."

The Silver and Black also signed veterans Segun Olubi and Cameron McGrone, both bringing special teams value. Olubi, who played four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, notably blocked a punt on AJ Cole during last season's Week 5 clash.

The newcomers within the linebacking corps are rounded out by UDFAs Xavian Sorey Jr. and Chris Thomas. Sorey, a five-star prep prospect, was part of the 2021 Georgia national championship team with Dean and Walker. Thomas was named All-CAA First Team his senior season at Maine.

Who's returning

Tommy Eichenberg has an opportunity to earn more reps on defense this season, having already made an impact on special teams. In 2025, he set the franchise record for most special teams tackles (23) in a single season. He began to consistently crack the defensive rotation starting in Week 14.

"As Tommy continues to progress, seeing the way he moves and you just see his disposition and his attitude, I like it," Williams said.

Cody Lindenberg, the team's 2025 seventh-round pick from Minnesota, also played a big role on special teams, logging 362 special teams snaps his rookie season while appearing in all 17 games. Brennan Jackson, who the team claimed off waivers last August, played three games for the Raiders in 2025 before being placed on the injured reserve list after Week 4.

Keep an eye out for...

Linebacker is the most retooled position group on defense with a lot riding on the success of Dean and Walker.

Fortunately for the Raiders, it seems that both are entering the prime of their careers. With defensive coordinator Rob Leonard prioritizing versatility across the field, he'll likely place these linebackers in multiple situations to be difference makers.

"I see Quay, he's an avatar out there," Leonard said. "He's a guy that looks like an outside linebacker that can play off the ball, play on the ball, he blitzes. Yeah, he's a leader. Him and Nakobe have been great, and you can definitely feel his presence."