Latest news with #Raider
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Patriots linebacker preview: Built in the image of Mike Vrabel, this group could help the defense take a big step forward
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up By the numbers: Advertisement 13: Elliss set a career high vs. the Bills on Jan. 5, with a 13 tackles, the most of the season in a game for any Patriot. 70: Tavai is the only NFL player in the last decade to play at least 70 percent of the snaps on offense or defense and 70 percent of the snaps on special teams, which he accomplished in 2023. The skinny: After an offseason of turnover, no area of the roster provides a better example of new coach Mike Vrabel's football philosophy than the linebackers. The Patriots acquired multiple players who might best be described as Vrabel guys in Spillane, Gibbens, and Landry. All of them played for Vrabel earlier in their careers. Advertisement Of the newcomers, Spillane figures to be a central figure. The former Raider was in the middle of the action at spring practices, and he saw his playing time increase when Tavai went down with a lower-body injury. Look for Spillane to wear the green dot on his helmet this season. Landry, who has 50.5 sacks in six seasons, should provide a boost off the edge in passing situations. Gibbens should provide depth in the middle, as well as special teams value. (He played almost 40 percent of the special teams snaps for the Titans in 2024). One new face that was a bit of a surprise this spring was Chaisson, as the former Raider and Jaguar flashed positively off the edge and could evolve into a nice depth addition. As for the impact returnees, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Jennings will be part of the conversation as an edge presence on early downs. Meanwhile, Tavai (who had a career-high 115 tackles in 2024) is looking to win back the fan base Elliss has had a career renaissance the last couple of seasons, going from fringe journeyman to every-down linebacker to being the subject of a mild bidding war between the Patriots and Raiders that saw him return to New England on a two-year, $13.5 million deal. He appeared to slot in nicely next to Spillane during spring practices, another sign his role will continue to grow. Advertisement In many ways, this is a group that is made in the image of Vrabel: not splashy, but smart, tough, and versatile. If they can be half as successful as Vrabel was when he played, it should help the defense take a big step forward. How does this position rate against the rest of the league? With the additions of Landry, Spillane, and Gibbens, this group probably went from the bottom third to near the middle of the pack. Quote of note: 'This is an exciting group to be around, and I'm excited going into this season. You just look at it, and you just feel the excitement and the production you could have going out there, and knowing everybody out there has that playmaking ability.' — Landry, speaking in June about the defense. Biggest story lines: Is Landry capable of delivering a burst off the edge as a complementary player for the likes of Keion White and Christian Barmore? In his first year with the Patriots, can Spillane grow into the leadership role that's usually asked from an inside linebacker? Will there be a battle for the other inside linebacker spot opposite Spillane? Christopher Price can be reached at
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Shelter dog to make history on ‘incredible mission' on a Navy ship in California
A black lab named Raider is on a mission. He's what you'd call a 'morale dog' from a San Diego nonprofit organization named Shelter to Soldier, where rescue dogs are trained to become emotional support animals for military veterans. And now, he's training to set sail on the U.S. Navy ship, the USS Makin Island next year, a first in the program. 'Raider is a one-year-old lab mix adopted from Labs and More Rescue currently in training with Shelter to Soldier as a shipboard Morale Dog through our Canine Ambassador program,' the Shelter to Soldier program said in a June 26 Facebook reel that highlights Raider's training. 'This initiative is designed to support the emotional wellness, morale, and mental health of sailors and marines.' The USS Makin Island is the first to partner with Shelter to Soldier, which occurred after the program's director, Nicky Moore, began to bring therapy dogs to Navy ships, NBC San Diego reported. 'Every single time it was like, 'I really wish we had a dog that stayed on board.' Like, 'Can we take this dog on deployment with us?' And so, we just kind of were like, 'Actually, yeah,'' Moore told the news outlet. And now, providing emotional support to those on board will be Raider's goal. 'Aboard the USS Makin Island, Raider will serve as a four-legged crew member, offering support through structured interaction, presence, and engagement,' Shelter to Soldier continued in the Facebook reel. 'Shelter to Soldier's Canine Ambassadors work across a range of settings to support the military and veteran community. They attend STS veteran applicant interviews, support trauma recovery therapy, participate in group sessions, and visit active-duty service members and their families, offering moments of connection and care when it's needed most.' More importantly, Raider will help 'improve mental wellness and quality of life' for those in active duty. 'Raider's role aboard the USS Makin Island helps address this crisis by fostering camaraderie within the crew, reducing operational stress, and increasing awareness for shipboard wellness and behavioral health services,' the program said. Raider's training began in April, and he's set to have his own room on the ship along with five handlers, NBC reported. 'The USS Midway Museum is honored to play a small part in this incredible mission,' The USS Midway Museum, who provided a place where Raider could train and prepare for life on the ship, commented in a Facebook post. 'Raider and his fellow Shelter to Soldier morale dogs bring comfort, connection, and strength to the sailors they serve. We're proud to help support their journey.'
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What to expect from Packers CB Nate Hobbs in 2025: Stats behind a curious career
Nate Hobbs was the Green Bay Packers' only notable offseason addition at cornerback, signing a four-year, $48 million deal. He will essentially replace the snaps the Packers are losing with the departures of Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, but will the former Raider be a net positive for the defensive backfield? His career in Las Vegas was up and down, much like the team's overall performance since he was drafted in 2021. It is difficult to pin down and predict which version of Hobbs Green Bay will get, but here is his overall profile as a player according to the statistics: Strengths Over a four-year span, it is tough to rank at the top of the league consistently in any metric, especially at the cornerback position, which is arguably the most volatile of any on the football field. Of the statistics used for this profile, there are only two in which Hobbs has excelled across his four years, and both of them relate to his run defense. Since entering the league, Hobbs ranks in the 79th percentile among qualified NFL cornerbacks in stops per game. Stops are tackles which result in a failure for the offense on a given play. He has been active in the run game, ranking in the 81st percentile for solo tackles per snap. His willingness to contribute as a run defender will no doubt have appealed to Packers' defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Weaknesses In terms of weaknesses, there are a few numbers in which Hobbs has performed poorly in coverage. He ranks in just the 16th percentile in reception percentage allowed (REC%), and the 29th percentile in forced incompletion rate (FI%). Hobbs has been an above average man corner overall, but has struggled more in zone coverage, ranking in the 30th and 23rd percentile for REC% and FI% respectively when in zone. He also falls in just the 27th percentile for REC% when lined up in the slot. In the same vein, he falls in just the 31st percentile in coverage snaps per reception allowed (S/REC). In the run game, Hobbs is plenty involved, but far from perfect. He ranks in the 29th percentile for missed tackle rate, having missed 15.7% of his career tackle attempts. Trending up While it is not exactly encouraging to see zero true strengths relating to Hobbs' coverage ability, there are plenty of signs of progress. It is important to remember a corner's playing style often means they will fare well in one coverage metric at the expense of another. For example, while Hobbs only ranked in the 3rd percentile as a rookie for REC%, he was in the 95th percentile for yards allowed per snap (Y/SNAP). This means that although quarterbacks were completing passes on him, the returns were low. Another important piece of context is that after a successful rookie year playing mostly in the slot, the Raiders moved Hobbs outside in his second season, and his overall numbers plummeted. He was then moved inside again in 2023 and 2024, and his statistics rebounded. This is reflected in his Y/SNAP, which dropped from the 95th percentile in 2021 to the 19th percentile in 2022, then up slightly to the 26th percentile in 2023 before a big jump to the 73rd percentile a year ago. Hobbs ranks in the 53rd percentile for Y/SNAP across his career, just above average. It is a similar story with his NFL passer rating allowed (NFLPR), interceptions per target (INT/TGT) and S/REC figures. After ranking in the 53rd percentile in NFLPR as a rookie, Hobbs fell to the 20th percentile in his sophomore season, then improved to the 32nd and the 42nd percentile in 2023 and 2024 respectively. He only has three career picks, with one each in 2021, 2022 and 2024, but in terms of INT/TGT his rankings have gone as follows: 51st percentile, 1st percentile, 42nd percentile, 62nd percentile. For S/REC, Hobbs ranked in the 75th percentile as a rookie before two poor years in the 18th and 5th percentile, rebounding to the 30th in 2024. His REC% has improved over time from just the 3rd percentile as a rookie to the 35th percentile The pattern is consistent in terms of a hot start, then a steep decline before gradually getting his numbers to a more respectable place again. Penalties committed is one of the better indicators of a cornerback's ability in coverage, and this is one of the best and most improved aspects of Hobbs' game. He has just 11 career penalties. For context, there were seven NFL corners with at least that many just in 2024. Since 2022, Hobbs went from the 37th percentile in penalties per snap to the 54th, to the 99th last season, when he did not get flagged a single time. He ranks in the 64th percentile across his career for penalties per snap, making opponents earn their yards. His PFF coverage grade might say differently, but Hobbs was a better cover corner overall in 2024 than he was in either of the previous two years according to the underlying numbers. When viewed as a collective, the metrics show a player of almost identical quality to Hobbs' breakout rookie year, even if it manifested in a different way. 2024 was also Hobbs' best season as a slot corner based on the statistics, which paint him as one of the best in the NFL. He ranked above the 60th percentile in REC%, NFLPR and S/REC when lined up inside, and was in the 76th percentile in Y/SNAP. Trending down The areas Hobbs has consistently become less effective over time are not in coverage, but in run defense and as a blitzer. He profiles as a worse run defender overall than he was in previous years, although still above league average for the position, and it is worth remembering he has suffered and played through injuries at times as well. Hobbs ranked in the 43rd percentile in missed tackle rate across his first two seasons, but fell in just the 26th and the 8th percentile in 2023 and 2024. This is a concerning trend which he will need to reverse. After performing as one of the most effective blitzers from the cornerback spot as a rookie, Hobbs was not used in that role frequently enough to qualify for grading in 2022, likely due to him moving to outside corner full time. Even when he returned to the slot in 2023 though, the results have not been the same. His rankings for QB hurries/hits per pass rush opportunity, sacks per opportunity and PFFs pass rush productivity (PRP) metric have all fallen year on year to career lows in 2024 across the board. The discussion around what Hobbs is, or could be for the Packers, is a tricky one. Looking at his career as a whole, he profiles as right around a league average corner, or maybe a few ticks above average. But it is not as cut and dry as that. After the impressive rookie year Hobbs had, the following two seasons look on paper like he completely lost his way when moving to the boundary, then struggled initially to reacclimate back into the slot, before kicking into gear again in 2024. The fact he has dealt with various injuries and played through them also clouds the assessment, but the important thing for the Packers, and likely why they signed him, is that Hobbs appears to be back on the right track. If Hobbs was being looked at purely as a slot corner, it would be a much cleaner evaluation. He has played well above average in two of the three years he has been primarily deployed there, and 2024 was his best year according to the stats. Adding to the curiosity though is the fact the Packers have been so insistent Hobbs can play outside. While he did it almost exclusively in his college days, and has done it in the NFL, his lone season playing mostly on the perimeter with the Raiders was a disaster. Perhaps if he had been given more time on task, significant progress could have been made, and maybe Green Bay, who have other options to play in the slot, can unlock Hobbs' ability to be a more reliable outside corner at the top level.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Packers receive C+ grade from ESPN for 2025 offseason
The NFL offseason is nearly over. The Green Bay Packers will begin training camp on July 23 to start preparing for a successful season that hopefully ends in a Lombardi Trophy. But before we look too far ahead, now is the perfect time to look back at the moves Green Bay made during the offseason. Seth Walder of ESPN graded every team's offseason, naming their biggest move, a move he liked, and a move he disliked. Here are Walder's grade and picks for the Packers: Clearly, Walder wasn't a big fan of some of the Packers' moves over the past few months, notably the deal they gave to their new offensive lineman. The Packers signed Banks to a four-year deal averaging $19.25 million per year, with $27 million fully guaranteed, making him the sixth highest paid guard in terms of average salary per year. A 2021 second-round pick by the 49ers, Banks settled into a starting role by his second season. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed just three sacks in 1,683 career pass-blocking snaps and received a career-high 68.9 run-blocking grade in 2024. Still, it's a hefty price tag for a player who has been solid but not necessarily dominant. "The issue I have is that we don't have evidence that Banks is anywhere near that caliber of player," Walder wrote. "Banks is coming off his best season according to win rates, but he ranked only 38th out of 64 guards in pass block win rate (92%) and 46th in run block win rate (69%)." The Banks signing came out of left field, as many thought Green Bay would be in the market for a premier pass rusher. Instead, they did the typical Packers move by addressing the offensive line. They could have paid less for a lower-caliber player, but after injuries to the offensive line derailed them in the playoffs against the Eagles, this team isn't willing to cut corners when it comes to the trenches, and now they have their starting left guard for the foreseeable future. Walder also thought the deal handed to slot corner Nate Hobbs was a little steep at $12 million per year. The former Raider is coming off a solid year, allowing just 0.9 yards per coverage snap, per NFL Next Gen Stats, though those numbers were above average in 2022 (1.5) and 2023 (1.3). The move looks better following the decision to cut Jaire Alexander, as Hobbs gives the team some flexibility with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as the potential starters on the outside. To balance things out, like many of us, Walder liked the selection of Matthew Golden in the first round, adding speed and playmaking to an offense in need of reinforcements at wide receiver. "Golden gives the team No. 1 WR upside it could use and helps make up for Christian Watson -- who tore his ACL in the regular-season finale -- possibly not being available for much of this season," wrote Walder. "Green Bay already had a group of solid receivers in Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks (I'm still a believer) and Watson, though entering the offseason running back Josh Jacobs said he believed the team needed a 'guy that's proven to be a No. 1 already.' Golden is not that, but first-round receivers offer that kind of potential." Time will tell if Golden ends up turning into a difference maker. He has already caught the attention of his quarterback, head coach, and fellow receivers this offseason, which is a good sign that he could make a real impact as a rookie. Taking everything into account, a C+ is a fair grade. The Packers paid more than expected for two free agents who have been steady but unspectacular at this point in their careers. The decision not to use that cap space on a pass rusher could come back to bite them if their four-man rush struggles like it did a year ago. However, keep in mind: Walder gave the Packers a B- grade for their offseason work ahead of the 2024 season, and that grade looks a bit unkind given the impact created by Gutekunst's work in free agency and the draft a year ago.
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN names LB Divine Deablo biggest surprise from Falcons OTAs
Falcons LB Divine Divine Deablo named biggest surprise from OTAs The Atlanta Falcons were fairly quiet during NFL free agency, signing just a handful of players at positions of need. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd and safety Jordan Fuller were arguably the most notable signings, but don't sleep on linebacker Divine Deablo. The 26-year-old started 14 games for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, recording 63 tackles (35 solo) and one sack. Since the Falcons did not re-sign Nate Landman or Lorenzo Carter in free agency, Deablo should at the very least provide depth. However, the team seems to think the veteran linebacker will play more than just a depth role this season. Deablo impressed during Atlanta's offseason program and could be in line for a starting role if he has a good camp. In a new feature from ESPN, Marc Raimondi named Deablo as the Falcons' biggest surprise of OTAs: The Falcons didn't have the salary-cap room to make any huge splashes in free agency this offseason. But the team thinks they really found something in Deablo, whose base salary is only $1.66 million this season. Head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with Deablo's size (6-foot-3), length and speed. Even more than that, Morris believes Deablo is capable of wearing the green dot as kind of the quarterback of the defense. It sounds like the former Raider has a solid chance at a starting job at inside linebacker alongside Kaden Elliss. -- Marc Raimondi, ESPN The Falcons also have former second-round pick Troy Andersen, who played well before his season was cut short due to injury. Andersen is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has a lot to prove after an up-and-down first couple of years in Atlanta. Another option could be to use first-round pick Jalon Walker in a hybrid off-ball linebacker/edge role this season. The rookie played a similar role at Georgia, and since the team has both Floyd and James Pearce Jr. on the roster, there's no reason to rush Walker along this season. It all comes down to what defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich thinks is best for the team. For now, though, it would be wise not to overlook Deablo.
