Marshall helping solidify Raiders’ linebacker corps
Linebacker Brandon Marshall spent six seasons, started 63 games and won a Super Bowl with Denver before being released in February.
So yes, he said, putting on a Raiders uniform for the first time was a little weird.
“We were taught to hate the Silver and Black,” Marshall said Monday. “Me personally, I never hated the Raiders. It’s just the aesthetic that came with being a Bronco.”
In fact, Marshall, a Las Vegas native, said he privately had eyed the Raiders since their 2020 move to his hometown became official. When the Raiders brought him in for a freeagent visit this spring and started talking about the move, he cut their pitch short.
“I was like, ‘You ain’t gotta sell me,’ ” Marshall said. “‘I’m already all in.’ ”
Marshall, 29, signed a oneyear deal, so there is
no guarantee he’ll accompany the team to Las Vegas. But he can make a case by helping to improve a defense that also includes a new middle linebacker in Vontaze Burfict and that allowed the most points in the NFL last season.
To do so, Marshall will have to stay healthy after injury limited him to 11 games (42 tackles) in 2018. This spring, Marshall, who had 100plus tackles in three of his previous four seasons, barely practiced with the Raiders while continuing to rehab a knee injury.
Marshall has practiced on each of the first three days of camp and, according to defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, looked sharp.
“He’s a guy who came in here and didn’t make a lot of mistakes the first couple of days,” Guenther said. “He’s kind of played that position with some other teams. And he’s a very good cover guy . ... He can match up with some of these backs and tight ends that we have in our division.
“It’s a matchup league. With the tight ends and the backs that we have on every team now, you have to be able to cover those guys.”
Covering those guys was an issue last season for the Raiders, as was consistency at linebacker. Tahir Whitehead played all but three defensive snaps, but no other linebacker played more than 44 percent as the Raiders rotated secondyear players Marquel Lee and Nicholas Morrow and rookie Jason Cabinda.
Early in camp, Marshall has lined up at weakside linebacker in the base defense and often has been the second linebacker with Burfict to stay on the field in the nickel defense.
“He’s a smart linebacker, great instincts,” Burfict said of Marshall. “Since he missed that time, we just have to get up to speed with the communication part. That obviously just comes with time.”
Marshall said Burfict, who previously played in Guenther’s defense in Cincinnati, has been a valuable resource.
“He has to be one of the smartest football players I’ve played with,” Marshall said. “He’s been in this defense his whole career and knows the ins and outs. … So I lean on him a lot right now.”
After signing with Oakland, Marshall said he watched video of last season to start learning the defense and “the issues, problem areas, they had and how we can build off that.” He quickly noted one major flaw: a leaguelow 13 sacks.
“I don’t care what (defensive backs) you have,” Marshall said. “Because pressure’s not there, at some point in this era, this passing league, (receivers are) going to get open. So we have to create more pressure.”
Marshall is coming from a defense in Denver last year in which edge rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combined to more than double (26.5) the Raiders’ team sack total. Asked if his new team has the players to create a strong pass rush, Marshall said, “Absolutely, man. And with the scheme that (Guenther) comes with, his playcalling, I think we’ll be just fine.”
Marshall shouldn’t have to wait long to see his former team: The Raiders open the regular season at home against the Broncos on “Monday Night Football.”
“Yeah, I like that,” Marshall said. “I think God was looking out for me on that one.”