Raiders hope they found another leading linebacker gem in Elandon Roberts

Las Vegas has already started to feel like home for veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts, despite the fact that he only signed with the Raiders three months ago.

The 31-year-old cites the heat, the mountains and his relationships with head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham among the reasons why he’s so quickly taken to the Silver and Black.

They all might be secondary to the endorsement he’s gotten from the face of the franchise, edge rusher Maxx Crosby, though.

Crosby was one of the first new teammates Roberts met after signing a one-year, $3 million deal to come to the Raiders from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his message was powerful. Crosby let Roberts know that he wasn’t territorial with his role as the leader of the Raiders’ defense.

“He’s like, 'E-Rob, I want you to lead. I want you to do this,’” Roberts shared of the early interaction with Crosby. “Like, he’s embracing me. We’re embracing each other. He doesn’t feel like I’m stepping on his toes and vice versa.”

The plan is for Roberts to wear the “green dot” on his helmet during the season as the lone defensive player able to receive radio communications in the huddle from the coaching staff, and he’s not taking the responsibility lightly. Roberts’ preparation has included being at the forefront of directing the Raiders’ defense during the past three weeks during offseason team activities.

That should continue today through Thursday at the team’s Henderson headquarters at mandatory minicamp, the final set of practices before the team reconvenes from training camp in late July.

“Elandon Roberts has already given us a real surge in the kind of confidence that you can spread to the rest of the players,” Carroll said.

Another new coaching staff might be at the helm for the third time in three years with the Raiders, but the organization is looking to continue its recent hot streak of unearthing overlooked, difference-making middle linebackers.

Middle linebacker was long considered a positional weakness for the Raiders, but the trend changed in 2021 when the Raiders acquired veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman in exchange for a pair of late-round draft picks to the Carolina Panthers.

Perryman became the Raiders’ first Pro Bowl middle linebacker in more than 30 years and ascended to team captain status the next season.

But Las Vegas balked at rewarding Perryman with a high-paying, long-term contract he sought and instead brought in Robert Spillane on a more modest deal in 2023.    

Although Spillane didn’t reach the Pro Bowl in his two seasons with the Raiders, he turned out arguably more impactful than Perryman, with Crosby calling him the best linebacker he’s ever played alongside.

But history repeated with Carroll and new general manager John Spytek, who chose to let Spillane walk when he attracted a three-year, $33 million contract offer from the New England Patriots this offseason.

The aim is for Roberts to bring a similar level of production at more of a bargain.

“I’m in the business of now, no matter what it takes,” Roberts said. “One thing I do know about leadership; leadership is lonely, I promise. But at the end of the day, loneliness ends when you’re holding up that Lombardi (Trophy).”

Roberts is one of only two players on the Raiders’ roster — along with free agent-signed guard Alex Cappa — who can speak on having achieved the ultimate goal in the NFL.

He was a part of a pair of Super Bowl-winning teams with the New England Patriots in 2017 and 2019, having started part of the season for both squads.    

“I’m not going to say I didn’t know of him but E-Rob, he’s helped our defense so far a whole lot, just his confidence in the huddle and his leadership, what he’s expecting of certain guys and in certain situations,” Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn said.

Robertson said his transition has been close to seamless because of a natural bond not only with Crosby but even more so Graham.

Graham contends it almost feels like he’s coached Roberts before because the two have such shared history in the NFL.

The defensive coordinator left New England’s staff months before Roberts was drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Houston in 2016. Graham similarly then departed from Miami after the 2019 season, about the same time Roberts signed a free-agent deal to become a Dolphin.

“Man, if I didn’t want to get fined, I would tell y’all how I really feel (about Graham),” Roberts said with a laugh. “He was running from me. I got out here and said, ‘It’s about time. What’s up man?’”

"It's kind of crazy; it's like growing up in the same household but in a different generation.”

Roberts is coming off the two best seasons of his career per Pro Football Focus’ grading metrics and ranked among the NFL’s elite in run-stuffing. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin routinely praised Roberts’ aggressive mindset, but his snap count also dwindled last season as his 481 plays were the fewest he's logged since early in his career with New England.  

As long as Roberts stays healthy, he shouldn’t have to worry about that with the Raiders. Spillane played more than 1,000 snaps in back-to-back seasons in silver and black, only missing a handful of plays spread across the two campaigns.

Roberts’ role won’t be identical but, with Graham retained as defensive coordinator, it should be similar. Roberts has been quick to point out that Crosby will remain the heart of the defense, but he’s looking like a driving force in his own right.  

“If I'm not every day in here with the mindset of leading my room, being that leader on the defense, being the green dot, bringing the juice every day to make sure that we're at the standard that we need to be at, then I'm just cheating the process,” Roberts said. “That's one thing that I harp on myself on every day I wake up. Once I hit them doors, I'm like, 'Let's go."