Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Minnesota LB Cody Lindenberg with the No. 222 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Cody Lindenberg has the potential to be a solid run-defending linebacker in the NFL. He has good size and takes advantage of his long arms by using his hands to take on blocks and get extension against offensive linemen. He also has some thud when coming downhill and is a solid tackler who only occasionally misses.

However, Lindenberg is not a good athlete for NFL standards, which impacts his coverage skills and will prevent him from being a three-down player at the next level. He shouldn't be trusted in man coverage against running backs and athletic tight ends. Coverage-wise, he’s pigeonholed as a middle-hook defender in zone coverage.

With that being said, the Minnesota product could potentially contribute on passing downs as a pass-rusher. His size and physicality can allow him to beat running backs in pass protection or be an effective pick player on stunts.

Schematically, Lindenberg would be a good fit as an inside linebacker in either even or odd fronts for a team that uses a lot of zone coverage. Overall, he’ll likely be more of a first- and second-down player, but he does have solid linear speed to contribute on special teams.

MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 236

HAND: 9” 

ARM: 32¾”

WINGSPAN: 78”

40-YARD DASH: 4.71

3-CONE: 7.01

SHUTTLE: 4.32

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Good size and length for an NFL linebacker. 

— Constant pre-snap communicator. Takes command of the defense and gets everyone set.

— Takes on blocks with his hands and uses his hands to escape from offensive linemen as a run defender.

— Solid tackler who breaks down in space and wraps up. Long arms help increase tackling range, too.

— Good eye discipline in zone coverage and is decent at reading the quarterback’s eyes to anticipate throws.

— Solid at slipping blocks from offensive linemen in space and has decent linear speed to make tackles against screens.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average athlete to cover running backs in man coverage. Has poor change of direction and tight hips.

— Slow run-pass transitions against play action. Struggles to turn and run to get enough depth and cover the middle of the field.

— Lack of change-of-direction skills also impacts his ability to click and close or drive on routes in coverage.

— Will get beat to the flat in coverage.

— Questionable instincts against zone runs. Has a habit of coming too far downhill and getting caught in the trash.

— Likes to take on blocks from offensive linemen square instead of getting on an edge, causing him to lose gap control.

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports 

— Injuries: 2023 (Leg, missed 9 games), 2021 (Undisclosed, missed 10 games)

— Four-time Academic All-Big Ten

— 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

— 2024 First-Team All-Big Ten

GRADE: 6.6 (Potential Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 157

POSITION RANK: LB10

PRO COMPARISON: Tahir Whitehead

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly could be looking to clear some space in their quarterback room ahead of next week's NFL draft.

According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the Raiders' new brass with general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll "doesn’t seem that high on incumbent Aidan O’Connell and many expect them to try and trade him for a pick on Day 3 of the draft."

The Raiders own the No. 6 pick in the first round and could have the chance to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders or another top prospect. However, Las Vegas acquired veteran signal-caller Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, and Tafur noted that the team is "believed by executives and agents around the league to be targeting a quarterback as early as Round 2."

Carroll and Spytek have done their homework on the position, as the Raiders hosted quarterback prospects Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers and Will Howard for pre-draft visits this week. One of them could be in play for Las Vegas when it's back on the clock with the No. 37 pick. Howard could be particularly intriguing, as he helped lead Ohio State to a national championship last season under the direction of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who now holds that position with the Raiders.

This year's quarterback class is not nearly as strong as the 2024 group that saw six signal-callers selected within the first 12 picks. Miami's Cam Ward is expected to be the No. 1 pick by the Tennessee Titans, but the landing spots for Sanders and the rest of the quarterback prospects are far from certain.

All questions will be answered in just a week when the 2025 NFL draft kicks off in Green Bay on April 24.

Offensive tackle Kolton Miller is declining to participate in the Las Vegas Raiders' voluntary offseason program, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler reported the 29-year-old wants to get a new contract from the team.

With the sizable fines in place, extending a holdout into training camp is often too expensive. Instead, this the time for NFL veterans to signal a desire for an extension or trade elsewhere.

Miller is one year out from free agency and has a $12.3 million base salary for the 2025 season. Given his age, he and his agent presumably know this is likely his last opportunity to secure a sizable multiyear payout. Once he's in his mid-30s, gaining a similar level of financial security will get increasingly difficult.

Miller is also correct in believing he's a little underpaid with the three-year, $54 million extension he received from the Raiders.

That deal came together in 2021, when the highest-paid offensive lineman was averaging $23 million. Now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs and Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell are both making $28 million.

In addition, Miller watched the Raiders reward defensive end Maxx Crosby with a massive three-year contract worth $106.5 million. He's among the next in line if any further deals are forthcoming.

The 2018 first-round draft pick has yet to make a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, so it might be a stretch to call him an elite lineman. But he has maintained a consistent level of performance since entering the league, and that has been invaluable for the Raiders amid the dysfunction and turmoil they've experienced the last seven years.

Las Vegas has a new head coach (Pete Carroll) and general manager (John Spytek), though. They may not feel as wedded to Miller as the previous regime might've been.

The next eight days could be telling as to Carroll and Spytek's plan for the franchise stalwart.

They could trade him before the 2025 NFL draft gets underway on April 24 and target a younger cost-controlled replacement. Should Miller remain on the team through April 26, it could show the front office views him as a contributor in 2025 and beyond.

Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby is set to make an impact on the football program at his alma mater.

Crosby is being named the assistant general manager for the Eastern Michigan football team, making him the first active NFL player to hold such a position, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

🚨 𝙈𝘼𝙓𝙓 𝙄𝙎 𝘽𝘼𝘾𝙆 🚨

Now, he's our Assistant GM 💼💣@CrosbyMaxx is joining up to:
👀 Scout the next generation
💵 Boost our NIL & recruiting game

Legends deserve legacies:
🏈 “LEO” is now the MAXX
🟩 EMU’s top DEF rusher will wear #92

🔗 https://t.co/4rVFlvD9U8 pic.twitter.com/kvpBoXhWCf

— Eastern Michigan Football (@EMUFB) April 14, 2025

According to a release, Crosby "will assist with evaluating high school and transfer portal prospects and help manage the team’s NIL/revenue share budget." He will also "serve as a Special Assistant to the Athletic Director on fundraising, alumni relations, and student-athlete support."

"There is no place more important to my personal and athletic development than Eastern Michigan University," Crosby said in a statement. "It truly is an honor for me to not only be named the Assistant GM of the EMU, but together with my wife Rachel, make another donation aimed at creating opportunities for other athletes to be impacted by the EMU program, community, students and alumni."

Eastern Michigan was the only school to offer Crosby a college scholarship, and he starred for the team from 2015 to 2018. He racked up 20 career sacks and was named first-team All-MAC in his final two seasons. The Raiders selected him with a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, and he has since blossomed into a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the best defensive players in the league.

The new position with Eastern Michigan continues an eventful offseason for Crosby. In March, the Raiders signed him to a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with $91.5 million guaranteed, which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time. He will be focused on helping the team bounce back from a lackluster 4-13 finish to last season during the 2025 campaign.

As the No. 1 wide receiver on the Las Vegas Raiders right now and coming off the best year of his career, Jakobi Meyers will listen if the team wants to talk about a new contract going into the 2025 season.

Per ESPN's Ryan McFadden, Meyers would like to remain with the Raiders beyond 2025 and is "open" to signing an extension.

Meyers originally joined the Raiders on a three-year, $33 million contract as a free agent in March 2023. He has more than lived up to that deal thus far with 1,834 yards and 12 touchdowns in 31 games over the past two seasons.

Last season, Meyers (1,027 yards) and rookie tight end Brock Bowers (1,194) became the first pair of Raiders teammates to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in the same year since 2016.

The Raiders have restructured Meyers' contract in each of the past two years, including three months after they signed him. He is owed $10.5 million in base salary and will count just under $15 million against the 2025 salary cap.

Meyers has been an incredibly consistent pass-catcher since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots in 2019. He has recorded at least 729 yards every season since 2020.

Las Vegas' receiving corps is very thin right now. Meyers leads a group that also includes Ramel Keyton and Tre Tucker.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Raiders add at least one pass-catcher early in the 2025 draft. Their top two picks are at No. 6 and 37 overall.

B/R's NFL scouting department is projecting Michigan cornerback Will Johnson to be the Raiders' first-round pick. Receiving options who could potentially be on the board when they pick in the second round include Missouri's Luther Burden III, Mississippi's Tre Harris and Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka.

The acquisition of Geno Smith at quarterback does allow the Raiders to go in any number of directions early in the draft. They also have arguably the best pass-catching tight end in the NFL.

Meyers' consistency makes him a valuable member of the offense for new head coach Pete Carroll. It wouldn't be a surprise if they did try to work out an extension with him to maintain stability going forward as they continue to add depth at wide receiver.

The Las Vegas Raiders have the opportunity to select a top prospect with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but the team reportedly has another option on the table.

ESPN's Jordan Reid reported that while the Raiders and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty are "one of the most linked pairings in this draft," Las Vegas could look to the defensive side of the ball in a trade-down scenario.

"Cornerback could be another position the Raiders target early, especially if they decide to trade down from No. 6," Reid stated. "Multiple league sources have mentioned Jahdae Barron (Texas) as an option if the Raiders trade back."

Earlier this week, the Raiders waived cornerback Jack Jones, who led the team with three interceptions last season. B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranks Barron as the No. 3 cornerback in this year's draft class, so he would provide Las Vegas with an immediate replacement for Jones, and the team would also acquire more assets by trading down.

Still, Jeanty was invited to Sin City earlier this week for a pre-draft visit, so the Raiders could make the safe choice by adding a potential future superstar to their backfield.

The NFL draft is just two weeks away on April 24, and Raiders fans will be holding out hope that the team makes the right decision with their first-round pick.

The acquisition of Geno Smith isn't stopping the Las Vegas Raiders from at least getting a close look at Shedeur Sanders leading up to the 2025 NFL draft.

Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, Sanders is scheduled to have an in-person visit with the Raiders next week as the team continues to do work on quarterbacks in this year's class.

Sanders and Cam Ward are the only quarterbacks in the 2025 draft who have been confirmed to meet with the Raiders. Ward is almost certain to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Louisville's Tyler Shough will also visit the Raiders next week.

Smith recently signed a two-year, $75 million extension with the Raiders, but that might make it more likely that they attempt to pursue a quarterback in the draft.

There's no guaranteed money in Smith's new deal after the 2026 season, so the Raiders could move on from him without incurring any financial penalty. He will turn 35 during the upcoming season and has been inconsistent as a starter despite showing high-level throwing ability at times.

Sanders' draft stock is hard to parse out at this point. There are at least some teams who are skeptical of him as a high-ceiling player coming into the NFL.

In an informal poll of six high-level personnel evaluators around the NFL conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, only two of said they had Sanders as a "mid-to-late first-round talent." The other four didn't view Sanders as a first-round prospect.

There's frequently a quarterback tax that teams pay in the draft, especially in a year like this without many high-level players at the position. It wouldn't be a surprise if Sanders comes off the board sooner than some of the reports suggest he might.

The Raiders could also look to take advantage of a Sanders slide by trying to wait until the second round to get him or trading back into the first round if he's still on the board late on Day 1.

Vegas' current roster situation would seem to make it difficult to justify using the No. 6 overall pick on a quarterback with a good starter already in place.

The Raiders' second-round pick is at No. 37 overall, but it comes after other quarterback-needy teams like the Cleveland Browns (No. 33) and New York Giants (No. 34) make their second selection.

Using the traditional draft-trade chart value, the cost to move up to No. 32 would be the 37th pick and a mid-fourth-round selection.

All of this would be contingent on Sanders still being on the board if the Raiders pass on him with their first pick and them wanting to draft him. Their visit with him could be a key factor in helping them make that decision.

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson will stage a formal workout for NFL teams on April 14 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Johnson also plans to meet with the Las Vegas Raiders in Sin City on April 15.

A hamstring injury prevented the defensive standout from participating in Michigan's pro day this spring.

In terms of his draft stock, next week's workout is unlikely to move the needle too much for Johnson because he's already a highly regarded prospect. He's the No. 5 overall player and second-best corner behind Colorado's Travis Hunter on Bleacher Report's 2025 big board.

B/R NFL scout Cory Giddings compared Johnson to 2020 Pro Bowler James Bradberry.

"His combination of size, length, physicality and versatility in coverage make him a valuable asset for any defensive scheme," Giddings wrote. "While he will need to refine his change of direction and reduce his tendency to gamble in coverage, Johnson's ability to disrupt plays both in the air and on the ground gives him a high ceiling. With proper coaching and development, Johnson can potentially become a top-tier defensive back in the NFL."

The Raiders were in the middle of the pack against the pass in 2024. They ranked 15th in yards allowed (216.2 per game) and 24th in opponent passer rating (96.5).

The biggest indication Las Vegas might be targeting a cornerback in the draft came when the team cut Jack Jones, who led the team in interceptions and appeared in every game last year.

Johnson makes plenty of sense as an immediate replacement for Jones in the secondary.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers are among the prospects invited for meetings with the Las Vegas Raiders this week, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Jeanty and Ewers will touch down in Sin City on Tuesday.

Ewers' invite is arguably more intriguing despite him being lower than Jeanty on pretty much every draft board.

The Raiders had the NFL's worst rushing attack in 2024. They averaged the fewest yards overall (79.8) and lowest yards per carry (3.6). The No. 6 overall pick is a bit rich for a running back in the present climate, but Jeanty is a big name who would provide immediate relief for a glaring issue in the offense.

Monday's news comes on the heels of general manager John Spytek attending Boise State's pro day in March.

Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek here for Ashton Jeanty’s Pro Day. The Raiders have the No. 6 pick. pic.twitter.com/F7Z2Q7992n

— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) March 26, 2025

Also meeting with Ewers indicates the team is still open to adding a quarterback even after acquiring Geno Smith and signing him to a $75 million extension.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio made the case for why Las Vegas at least maintained a path to change quarterbacks as early as 2026, citing both the finances involved and the precedent set by the Atlanta Falcons with Kirk Cousins.

Ewers is the No. 108 overall player and eighth-best quarterback on Bleacher Report's 2025 big board. Because of how quarterbacks are prioritized in the draft, the Longhorns star could plausibly be taken in the second round, where the Raiders are on the clock at No. 37.

Whether it's Ewers or another option, Vegas using a second-rounder on a quarterback will lead a lot of people to believe Smith is already on borrowed time.

Jack Jones has reportedly been released by the Las Vegas Raiders after attempts to trade the cornerback, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported the Raiders were currently working to trade the veteran. Bonsignore noted Jones will be released on Monday if no trade materializes.

The Raiders' decision to part ways with Jones comes as a bit of a surprise. He was very good in 2023 when he split time between the New England Patriots and Raiders.

Jones took a step back last season, but he still appeared in all 17 games (16 starts) for the Raiders. The 27-year-old recorded a career-high 69 combined tackles and 16 passes defensed.

There have been off-field concerns for Jones in the past. He agreed to a plea deal in September 2023 that required him to serve one year of probation stemming from an arrest three months earlier after police found two loaded guns in his carry-on luggage at Logan Airport in Boston.

The Patriots benched Jones early in the 2023 season for reportedly missing curfew and poor performance. He did appear in four straight games from Weeks 7-10 before being released by New England.

Jones was claimed off waivers by the Raiders on Nov. 14, 2023. He appeared in the final seven games of the season with the club.

There's no indication right now that the Raiders' decision to move on from Jones is related to anything off the field. It is unusual they would decide to part ways at this point in the offseason with a cornerback who was penciled in as a starter for next season.

While there could be a market for Jones in free agency, it's clear no teams wanted to give up much in a trade. He was owed $3.4 million for 2025, the final year of his rookie contract.