Raiders' LB Spillane Still Criminally Underrated

Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane is still criminally underrated in Year 2 with the Silver and Black, despite proving his ability time and again.

Nov 29, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs with the ball against Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane (41) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have had star defender Maxx Crosby take most headlines by storm, but one Raider defender who should be getting his flowers has been Robert Spillane.

Spillane's defensive contributions top many categories for the Raiders, and even have landed him in top positioning among defenders around the league.

Spillane is in his sixth season in the NFL, and second season with the Raiders. Having previously played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Spillane has seen his defensive production skyrocket since dawning the black and silver.

In his first season with the Raiders, Spillane finished with 148 total tackles in 17 games played. He recorded 82 solo tackles in 2023 and set a career-high in sacks with 3.5. Spillane's 2023 work finished him tenth in the Top 10 total tackles, and he has continued that success in 2024.

So far this season, Spillane has 111 total tackles in 11 games played. Of the 111 tackles, 67 of them are solos, and he has recorded 8.5 stuffs this season. Right now, going into Week 14, Spillange ranks eighth in total tackles among defenders and sixth in solo tackles.

Spillane's Top 10 defense has been showcased well this season, as it was in his first season with the Raiders. In the Week 13 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Spillane had nine total tackles, with seven of the nine being solos.

Spillane has proven to other teams that he can be an asset for a contender in the near future. With Spillane's contract coming to an end with the Raiders after this current season, Spillane may consider free agency once more given his elevated production with the Raiders.

The Raiders, though, may see the value that Spillane has provided this team and look to extend Spillane's contract for more years down the road. The extension process would need to make sense for both parties, given the Raider's direction seems dull as it stands through 13 weeks of this 2024 season.

Spillane is the only Raider defender with 100+ total tackles and 60+ solo tackles on the season, statistics that can only raise his stocks if he were to choose free agency. While that question can be pondered, the Raiders and Spillane will turn their immediate attention to their Week 14 opponents, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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