Raiders' Elandon Roberts Could Fill Massive Hole Left at MLB

The Las Vegas Raiders lost one of the league's leading tacklers in each of the past two seasons when Robert Spillane departed to join the New England Patriots in free agency. Spillane was one of the most dependable players on the team since arriving in Las Vegas.

However, free agency is a part of professional sports and the Raiders must adjust. They believe the addition of Elandon Roberts will help address the void left by Spillane. Roberts joins the Raiders after spending the past two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While a transition period is expected, Roberts has connections on the team both directly and indirectly.

"Yeah, most definitely. Me and Robbie [Rob Leonard] is real close. Me and PG [Patrick Graham], he's never been my actual coach, but it's like, right when I got to New England, he left, right when I got to Miami, he left. Me and Brian Flores are real close, not just as a coach-player, but as, like, we have a big brother-little brother relationship. I really look up to him," Roberts said.

"Him and Pat Graham’s relationship and how he feels about PG, it felt like I always knew PG. I have familiar faces, one of the assistant linebacker coach, Ty [McKenzie], he was with me in Miami. Also, KJ [Keyon Jackson], he was the assistant D-line coach, he was with me in Miami. So, it's definitely some familiar faces and stuff like that brings some - you know when you go into a new spot you don't know nobody, so you're really not that comfortable and you got to get to know everybody.

"So, knowing some people in the building brings a certain level of calmness. But at the same time, my job is to get with everybody in the building, learn their name, learn their faces, get to know all my teammates, because at the end of the day, it's like when you're in a marriage, it's two people trusting each other. But offense, defense and special team is a whole different 11 on that field at one time, trusting each other.

Roberts explained what his approach will be with his new teammates, as he plays one of the most critical positions on the defense. With the Raiders defense set to look much different from the past two seasons, Roberts could be the glue Las Vegas' defense needs.

"I got to be able to get the trust of my teammates, and that starts when obviously OTAs start. Today, I'm going to hit up all the inside backers and a few other people on the defense, just to introduce myself and open my line up right away, and not waiting until OTAs and stuff like that, because that's what it takes to get the goal that we want to get accomplished," Roberts said."

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