Raiders LB Robert Spillane Already Has the Respect of LB Coach, Former LB

The Las Vegas Raiders made a wise decision this offseason by signing many former players as position coaches underneath Coach Antonio Pierce. Most of the position coaches with playing experience in the National Football League were on the defensive side of the ball, which should help the Raiders' defense become even better this offseason.

Entering last season, it was believed the Raiders’ linebackers were one of the weakest positions on the defense if not the weakest position. However, the Raiders’ addition of Robert Spillane and the completion of linebacker Divine Deablo’s transition from defensive back to linebacker have greatly improved the Raiders' overall defense.

The addition of Spillane was one of the best moves former Coach Josh McDaniels made while he was with the team. Spillane played 95% of the team’s defensive snaps. This season, Spillane is hoping to take things to the next level with Raiders linebackers coach Mike Caldwell guiding the unit.

Caldwell guided the Jacksonville Jaguars defense to one of the best in the league.

Although it is still early, Caldwell has had the chance to look at some Raiders games from last season, and he now gets the opportunity to see Spillane up close and personal. So far, Caldwell likes what he sees. He notes that as time progresses, Spillane will only get better.

"I think normally, once you get into year three or four, you kind of understand the game,” Caldwell said. “But just going back to Robert [Spillane] and just watching him from afar, I told him when I first met him, there was a clip that I saw when I was coaching in Tampa, and it was against Derrick Henry, and it made me know your name. And I've been watching it ever since, and he's continued to make plays and play the game the right way. So, he's the guy that he paid his dues and it's paying off for him."

As the Raiders' defense looks to solidify itself as one of the best defenses in the NFL, they will undoubtedly need Spillane and Deablo to have productive seasons. As the season draws near, the mutual respect between current Raiders players and former players turned coaches cannot be understated.

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