Dean joins the Raiders after a mediocre last season in Philadelphia where he thrived as a pass rusher (4.0 sacks) but played in just 10 games, recording 55 tackles (seven for loss) one year after racking up 128 tackles in 15 games. Averaging around $12 million per year, Dean moves to Las Vegas at a competitive price that ranks among the top eight linebackers in the NFL.
Walker, meanwhile, may have seen a change in his surroundings coming after his former employer, the Packers, added Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin in a trade over the weekend. Instead of negotiating a deal to stay in Green Bay, Walker went elsewhere in search of salaried work, landing with a Raiders team entering free agency with a huge amount of cap space to spend and needs scattered across the roster.
A talented former first-round pick, Walker displayed draft-eligible qualities over four seasons. But he also made frustrating mental errors that hindered his efforts to become a cornerstone of Green Bay’s defense. Despite this reality, Walker’s production — including an average of 117.25 tackles recorded per year — and durable potential earned him the higher compensation of the two, placing him just behind Pittsburgh’s Patrick Queen in average annual salary at $13.5 million.
In one day, the Raiders committed $76.5 million to two linebackers over the next three years, spending lavishly while combining a duo that played in SEC action in Athens, Georgia. They’ll hope it’s an investment that pays off under new head coach Klint Kubiak.