How did the Raiders fare in PFF’s linebacker rankings?

Pro Football Focus continued its run of position group rankings this offseason and made some important distinctions regarding their linebacker rankings. Outside linebackers who serve as edge rushers, such as TJ Watt or Khalil Mack, are not factored into these rankings.

Instead, PFF focuses on middle linebackers like Bobby Wagner or a true OLB like Fred Warner. Surprisingly, the Raiders finished near the middle of the pack.

In Gordon McGuinness’ team-by-team linebacker rankings, the Raiders came in at No. 15.

“Robert Spillane thrived for the Raiders in his first full season as a starter, earning a 77.1 PFF grade over 1,100 snaps to rank tied for 17th in the league,” McGuinness wrote. “Divine Deablo is a solid tackler, missing just 6.0 percent of his attempts in his career. Rookie Tommy Eichenberg could prove to be a steal. The fifth-round draft pick earned an 86.8 PFF grade at Ohio State in 2022 before having a down year in his final season in college in 2023.”

The Raiders’ linebacking unit isn’t talked about much, so I figured they’d be lower on this list. Not to mention, last month, PFF released their individual linebacker rankings, and not a single member of the Silver and Black was represented. Yet somehow, they have the 15th-best unit in the league according to the same publication. I’m not complaining; I think this group should get a lot more coverage than it does, so let’s break it down.

Robert Spillane proved to be a very good middle linebacker last year for Las Vegas. As they mentioned, Spillane was one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL last year, and he also recorded nearly 150 tackles. Divine Deablo is also starting to assert himself as a player, improving as a tackler after being drafted into a hybrid LB/S role.

What inspires me the most about this ranking is the excitement surrounding the Tommy Eichenberg pick. There’s been a lot of talk about Brock Bowers and some of the other first-round picks, but Eichenberg could easily make a huge impact this year.

His 86.8 PFF grade at Ohio State in 2022 is staggering and he could compete with guys like Luke Masterson or Amari Burney for reps. Spillane and Deablo should be the starters, but if he can force his way into the rotation, then he’s a true gem in the fifth round.

Even though the team ranks in the top half of the NFL, it is still 10th in the AFC. Fortunately, it is placed just behind the Chiefs (12th) and the Broncos (28th) and Chargers (31st) are both at the bottom of the rankings.

There are a plethora of elite linebacker tandems in the AFC that deserve to be ranked ahead of the Raiders, but one that confounds reason is the Cincinnati Bengals, ranked just ahead at No. 14, according to PFF.

“Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson were disappointing in 2023 by their standards, earning 63.3 and 62.6 PFF grades, respectively,” McGuinness wrote. “Both were better in 2022, though, with Pratt earning a 78.4 PFF grade and Wilson a 74.6, so if they can get back to that level, then the Bengals will move into the top 10 here.”

It’s perfectly fine to project on rookies, since they don’t have a pool of NFL experience to draw from. However, ranking the Bengals ahead of the Raiders simply because their linebackers played well two years ago seems a bit remiss.

Spillane and Deablo were a formidable duo in 2023, not 2022, and they’re being punished for it. I think Pratt and Wilson are both good players, but if PFF doesn’t put much stock in its own rankings from last year, it’s hard to see why anyone else would. By that measure, Spillane was better last year than Wilson was in each of the last two seasons, so those two units should at least turn around.

Once again, it’s time for the Raiders to prove people wrong. Odds and PFF rankings don’t win games; the game is played on the turf, and head coach Antonio Pierce will have this LB unit ready to play.