Oakland's linebackers on break during minicamp
One unit that will be distinctively different in 2010 for the Oakland Raiders will be the linebackers.
The shuffle started before the Silver & Black drafted Rolando McClain, but the alteration hit its peak during that weekend when captain and starting middle linebacker Kirk Morrison was dealt to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McClain has already gained the respect of veterans and inherited the spot once held by Morrison with a strong first impression in minicamp and tangible skills that translate to him being a solid pro at that position.
“Man, he’s bigger than I thought he was,’’ veteran linebacker Thomas Howard stated of the rookie. “He works hard, he’s a smart player and he jumped right in and he was able to control the defense. Like a middle linebacker is supposed to, he has great feet to be such a big guy, humble, hard worker.”
The first team linebacker corps that began work in early May consisted of McClain in the middle, flanked by Trevor Scott and Kamerion Wimbley.
And at this point, all impressions are that that alignment is the one we’ll see barring any injuries come the start of the season.
Scott, who tallied five sacks in the final six contests last season, will be given every shot to continue his development on the weak side of the formation.
He supplanted the speedy Thomas Howard, who is still on the roster and could be used in multi-faceted ways on a defense that will try to diversify its packages.
Howard signed his one-year $1.759 million tender for next season. And with a new role in a contract year, the former 2nd round selection may be able to use his range in coverage and speed to find a niche in the revamped defense.
Wimbley is the unknown commodity that is intriguing in the grouping. The 26-year old was the Browns 13th overall selection in the 2006 draft when then general manager Phil Savage stated, “The very first time I saw Kamerion in person I said, ‘This is the prototype’ — the arm length, the knee bend, the athletic ability, the flexibility.”
When Cleveland selected him, Savage proclaimed, “There’s no reason to think he won’t have an outstanding, Pro Bowl-caliber career.”
As the 2009 season was winding down, Browns head coach Eric Mangini commented, “Kamerion Wimbley has made a ton of progress from the beginning of the season to where he is now in terms of his approach to the game plan. It’s dramatic.”
Mangini praised his work ethic, study habits and discipline on the football field.
Wimbley in action for the Raiders
“The amount of mental errors he has made is dramatically different,” said Mangini. “It’s a great thing to see.”
Wimbley had five sacks in the first seven games of the season. He missed a game against the Steelers with the flu and when he got back into the line-up, opponents keyed the linebacker, which freed up other teammates.
The Browns moved him around on defense, another reason why he Mangini was happy to see his development.
“It gives opposing teams a different look and made it a little more difficult for them to prepare,” Wimbley said. “It gives us things that we can play around with in the game, bringing other people from different spots and then not knowing where they’re coming from. It just mixes it up a little bit.”
At the end of the 2009 season, Wimbley stated, “I think I’ve gotten better every year and I plan on continuing to do that.”
If Wimbley can regain the form that made him a highly touted prospect coming out of college, Oakland will have the makings of a very reliable and diverse collection of linebackers.
The rest of the crew: Ricky Brown, Isaiah Ekejiuba, Quentin Groves, David Nixon, Slade Norris, Sam Williams and rookie Travis Goethel will be battling for reserve roles and/or vital assignments on special teams.
Ekejiuba is a mainstay on punt and kickoff coverage units. Jacksonville couldn’t wait on Groves’ development, so he was shipped to Oakland and the veteran Brown has not shown the ability to stay healthy or handle increased reps in the regular season on defense.
Overall, John Marshall does have more options and looks to his defense with this crop of linebackers.
Something the Raiders needed the last few years.
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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
