The Raiders made some big moves this offseason at linebacker, adding the likes of Nick Kwiatoski and Raekwon McMillian. However, the biggest signing the team made was bringing in former Pro Bowl linebacker Cory Littleton of the Los Angeles Rams.
That move has yet to pay off for the Raiders as Littleton has struggled mightily in the first five games of this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s been among the worst linebackers in the NFL as he has graded poorly against the run.
In a recent article by Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, Littleton was named the team’s most disappointing player on the roster. Here is a snippet of Gagnon’s thoughts on Littleton with the Raiders this year:
“Still, it has to be disappointing that their highest-paid defensive player, high-profile offseason addition Cory Littleton, is tied for the league lead with nine missed tackles and has allowed completions on 14 of the 20 passes into his coverage.”
Littleton signed a long-term deal with the Raiders, so there is plenty of time for him to get back on track. However, it is a little worrisome how much he has struggled to begin the season. Hopefully, the bye week will allow him to settle down some and figure out where the mistakes are happening and how to correct them. But needless to say, the Raiders need Littleton to be much better in the final 11 games of the season.
