Getty Darron Lee at training camp.
The roster cuts have started for the Las Vegas Raiders. They have a lot of work to get to a 53 man roster and there are bound to be some big surprises along the way. The first notable move the team has made doesn’t come as too much of a surprise.
According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders have reached an injury settlement with linebacker Darron Lee and he will not be part of the team this season.
FYI: @Raiders and LB Darron Lee have come to an injury settlement, so he is no longer part of the organization
The former first-round pick out of Ohio State hasn’t been able to live up to his draft status but could’ve been a solid veteran presence. Unfortunately, injuries hampered him for much of the offseason, and was recently put on the Reserve/Injury List. The Raiders recently traded for Denzel Perryman as a result of the injury issues they’re dealing with at linebacker. It was clear that Lee wouldn’t have a role due to his injuries so it makes sense why they’d settle with him now.
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How Should the Raiders Feel About the LB Position?
With the regular season closing in for the Raiders, the linebacker position is a bit of a concern. Nicholas Morrow and Javin White are both out for an unspecified amount of time. Perryman is a nice addition but the trade has not been made official yet and he also has an injury history.
Cory Littleton is healthy and has been durable throughout his career. Other than him, how the position group might look isn’t totally clear. Nick Kwiatkoski can hold up the middle linebacker spot for a few weeks but he’s also gotten banged up this offseason. It’s no guarantee that his body will hold up. Depending on what’s going on with Perryman, the team may be thin at linebacker for Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Jon Gruden Hoping to See Young LBs Step Up
As not ideal as it might be, the Raiders may need to rely on some young players early in the season. Tanner Muse and Divine Deablo are two third-round draft picks who played safety in college. They’ve transitioned to linebacker for the NFL and neither has played a single game professionally.
“Hopefully [Deablo and Muse] rise to the occasion,” Gruden said last week. “I think [Deablo’s] got athleticism and range, and he has playing speed. He showed very good instincts at Virginia Tech at a couple of different positions, so that combination is exciting. We think he and Cory [Littleton] will give us two really athletic, young linebackers and we’re hoping he can be a fast track.
“He’s going to have to learn quickly on the run because they are not postponing any of our games or delaying the startups.”
It would be a lot to ask for them to have big roles in Week 1 but they may not have a choice. Deablo and Muse have talent which is why they were both drafted in the third round. If they rise to the occasion as Gruden wants them to, it would leave a very strong impression on the coaching staff.
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