The Las Vegas Raiders knew that last year's defense setup was not going to be good enough for a veteran defensive-minded coach like Pete Carroll, which helped prompt some heavy changes on that side of the ball. Antonio Pierce's underperforming unit is going to be built up from scratch by Carroll.
The linebacker room has undergone a major facelift, as the Raiders have signed three veterans on cheaper short-term contracts to replace the departed Robert Spillane. Those new additions may not be ideal for a Raiders rookie doing everything in his power to survive and make the final 53-man roster.