Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
The Las Vegas Raiders were getting really thin at linebacker earlier in the season due to injury but it seems like things are starting to stabilize. Denzel Perryman has played in the last three games and Jayon Brown has played in the last four. Having a stable group of linebackers has helped the team get a three-game winning streak.
However, the Raiders are losing a key depth piece on the practice squad. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cleveland Browns are signing veteran linebacker Reggie Ragland to their active roster from Las Vegas’ practice squad.
Ragland joined the Raiders’ practice squad earlier in the season when the team was thin at linebacker. He was a valuable piece to have considering he spent last year in Patrick Graham’s defense. He hasn’t suited up for a game this season but there was a reason the Raiders were keeping him around. The former second-round pick and Alabama star will have a much better chance to play now that he’s on the active roster for the Browns. Cleveland has been out of the playoff race all season but could make a run now that Deshaun Watson has served his suspension. Ragland is a solid veteran piece to have around a defense that does have a lot of talent.
Is Divine Deablo Nearing His Return?
The Raiders won’t miss Ragland much as an injured player is returning soon. Linebacker Divine Deablo went on Injured Reserve a month ago with a forearm injury and he’s not eligible to return. However, the Raiders are unfortunate to be playing the Los Angeles Rams on a short week. The team doesn’t have time to practice and is only going through walkthroughs this week. It’s a tall order to expect a player who has been out for a month to get back into action without having a real practice.
If the Raiders can beat the Rams on Thursday, they’ll have a long week to get Deablo back in the swing of things. With the New England Patriots coming to town, Las Vegas will want Deablo at full strength as that game could have massive playoff implications for both teams.
Raiders Defense Showing Improvement
The Raiders defense got off to a horrific start to the season but is finally starting to string together some solid performances. They’re still an inconsistent group but the team isn’t on a three-game winning streak right now if it wasn’t for some key plays made by the defense. Cornerback Amik Robertson knows it hasn’t been a perfect season but he believes that they’re just scratching the surface of how good they can be.
“Of course, we all know we not where we want to be at,” Robertson said Tuesday, via The Athletic. “We’ve taken strides, though, of getting better each and every week. We just got to stay on that pace, continue playing as a whole, continue believing in one another and, most importantly, going out there and having fun and playing with energy. Whether it’s good or bad. If something bad happens, teammates pick one another up. Even when something good happens, we celebrate together but we also know we got to finish. If we stay at that pace, I think we can do something special.”