Raiders LB Robert Spillane Improved His Game Again Over the Offseason

Linebacker Robert Spillane was one of the most productive linebackers in the National Football League last season. Coach Antonio Pierce thinks he got even better over the offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce, Talking with His Players Before Practice / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders may have one of the best defenses in the National Football League this season.

Based on his play from last season, they may also have one of the best linebackers in the NFL in linebacker Robert Spillane, who joined the Raiders in free agency last offseason. Spillane finished among the top tacklers in the league last season while playing about 97 percent of the Raiders' defensive snaps last season. 

Arguably, upon signing with the Raiders, the area Spillane needed the most work in was pass coverage. Spillane undoubtedly got better in that area last offseason, finishing the season with a career-high three interceptions. Those three interceptions were more than Spillane had registered in every other year of his career combined.

Spillane and the Raiders' defense aim to prove last season was not a fluke. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham have spent the offseason helping Spillane improve in different areas. 

"Yeah, a little biased comment here. I was his linebacker coach, too,” Pierce said. “No, but literally, that was one of the things that we talked about when we signed him, was working on that. And really all offseason, myself, him, and the rest of linebackers, we worked on a lot of just being twitchy, vision on the quarterback, just not wasting steps, being more efficient in our movement, and I think that's what you really saw from Spill.”

Pierce said Spillane worked hard last offseason and this offseason to prove he was an every-down, complete linebacker in the NFL. He notes that Spillane has been motivated to improve since arriving in Las Vegas and has started to trust his instincts and training more than he did previously.

“He sees it, he believes it, he runs the line, and two of those interceptions came on just that, seeing, believing, and running the line,” Pierce said. “Most of the time, these quarterbacks, there's a little hitch right there, and if you can catch him, you can make a play. But I think he really put an emphasis on that because he wanted to be a complete linebacker. He's a run-stop guy, he's an early down guy, and he didn't like that. I didn't like that for him either. And that was something we worked on the entire offseason, and credit to him, it showed up in the games."

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE