A reader asked how good the Raiders’ linebacker group can become and how it will be used. The answer ties the unit’s potential to the team’s shift to a base 3-4 defense, highlighting Nakobe Dean’s pass-rush impact and Quay Walker’s tackling and size—plus how l
When a Pennsylvania reader asked whether the Raiders can unlock their linebacker group, the conversation turned quickly to what the team is trying to build on defense—and why it could make those players feel like they’re attacking the game, not just reacting to it.
James McFarland from Pennsylvania asked: “How good can the linebacker group be, also how will they be utilized?. They seem better at attacking the QB.” The response framed it as a natural fit with the Raiders’ switch to a base 3-4 defense. arguing the linebacker corps was strengthened specifically to complement that change.
The centerpiece of that plan is Nakobe Dean. The argument is that adding Dean could “unlock the entire unit” because of his ability to make plays in open space and come downhill fast blitzing the quarterback. His recent production is presented in concrete terms: he has compiled seven sacks and 15 quarterback pressures in his last two seasons. The piece also points to a 40.7 quarterback pressure percentage in 2025, cited as coming from Next Gen Stats.
Quay Walker is placed alongside Dean in the same blueprint. Walker, the discussion says, has many of the same skills as his teammate. He led the Green Bay Packers in total tackles in each of his four seasons. and in 2025 he recorded a career-low 3.8 missed tackle percentage rate. With Walker’s physical profile—6-foot-4 and 240 pounds—the reporting adds another possible layer: he could become useful as an edge rusher.
All of it circles back to the moment the Raiders want these matchups to happen. “If they get the one on one, we feel really good about those matchups,” linebackers coach Ronnell Williams said Tuesday. In the same breath. Williams described what those matchups could do to the playcalling. saying they “open up a whole new section of the playbook. where you can feel really good about it.”.
Williams didn’t limit the value to pressure off the edge. He linked the unit’s role to multiple dimensions—“the pass rush element. ” the “space eating element. ” and the players’ “football I.Q.” He also described the coverage upside as a potential “plus one. ” tying the joy of coaching directly to “getting right in that manner.”.
The underlying story is simple: the Raiders aren’t just talking about better linebacker play. They’re organizing it around a base 3-4 framework. leaning on Dean and Walker to create stress on quarterbacks. win in space. and expand how much their defense can do once those one-on-one situations appear.
Raiders mailbag base 3-4 defense linebackers Nakobe Dean Quay Walker Ronnell Williams pass rush quarterback pressures Next Gen Stats 2025 season