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On May 9th, the Las Vegas Raiders signed inside linebacker Kenny Young, according to Field Yates of ESPN.
The Raiders have signed veteran LB Kenny Young.
The Denver Broncos acquired Young in a trade in October. The Los Angeles Rams sent Young and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Broncos in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick.
Young went on to start six games for the Broncos recording 29 combined tackles and a forced fumble.
Young has good athleticism for a linebacker, but he needs to improve in pass coverage. During his six-game stint with the Broncos, Young was targeted 17 times, and he allowed 16 receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown.
Last season, Young posted an overall PFF grade of 50.6, which ranked 54th out of 87 qualifying linebackers.
In Las Vegas, Young will add depth to the Raiders’ inside linebacker group, which is led by Denzel Perryman and Jayon Brown.
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Broncos Were Unlikely to Retain Young
It is noteworthy that Young remained unsigned for nearly two months after free agency opened. If the Broncos wanted to re-sign him, they likely would have already gotten a deal done.
Young’s continued availability in tandem with the signing of inside linebacker Alex Singleton made Young a longshot to return to Denver.
For the Broncos, Josey Jewell and Singleton are safe bets to start at inside linebacker. Jewell recorded 113 combined tackles in 2020. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract this offseason.
Meanwhile, Singleton led the Philadelphia Eagles in combined tackles in both 2020 (120) and 2021 (137).
Behind Jewell and Singleton, the Broncos have three intriguing young players in Jonas Griffith, Justin Strnad, and Barrington Wade.
Griffith was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Last August, Griffith was traded to the Broncos along with a 2022 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round pick and a 2023 seventh-round pick.
Griffith played in 13 games last season, and he was impressive. He made 46 combined tackles and recorded a PFF run defense grade of 75.9.
Strnad was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. After missing his rookie season due to a wrist injury, he appeared in all 16 games in 2021.
Wade went undrafted in 2021. He appeared in four games, but he only played on special teams.
Undrafted rookies Kadofi Wright and Kana’i Mauga are players to watch, as well.
Young Was At the Center of a Strange Blockbuster Trade in 2019
Young was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He had a solid rookie season with 51 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, and two and a half sacks.
Five games into his second NFL season, Young was surprisingly traded along with a fifth-round pick in 2020 to the Rams for cornerback Marcus Peters.
That move remains baffling for the Rams. Peters was named a first-team All-Pro in his first season with the Ravens. He had five interceptions and a league-leading three interception returns for a touchdown.
Young was a solid, young player, but it is hard to believe the Rams could not get more value back for Peters, who was already a two-time All-Pro.
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Raiders Sign Broncos Defensive Starter: Report