Amari Gainer’s preseason performance makes Raiders optimistic about his future

Undrafted free agent might be a special teamer this year but could have a big role on the defense moving forward

Linebacker Amari Gainer was the star of the preseason for the Las Vegas Raiders, and the last month played out like the script of an underdog movie for him.

Gainer went from being an undrafted free agent and longshot to make the roster to the Raiders’ best player during the preseason and earning a spot on the team’s 53-man roster at the end of training camp. While the fanbase wasn’t able to see what he could bring to the table until August, it sounds like the rookie made a strong impression on Las Vegas’ coaching staff as soon as he stepped into the building.

“Listen, when he came in the door day one, it was like, ‘Wow, this is a pretty sucker here,’” head coach Antonio Pierce said of Gainer. “He looks good and you saw the movement with him in college from Florida State to North Carolina, but there was always like, ‘Man, there’s more to him.’”

Pierce’s quote highlights one of the reasons why Gainer slipped through the cracks of the NFL Draft. He spent his first four years in college at Florida State where he began as an edge defender before lining up more as an off-ball linebacker during his last three years at Tallahassee.

Then, a Week 1 injury sidelined the former Seminole for several games in 2022, and his playing time significantly decreased upon returning, recording just 77 snaps that season, per Pro Football Focus. So, he transferred to North Carolina for the 2023 campaign and returned to his original spot on the edge.

Flipping back and forth between positions is likely a big reason why Gainer’s true talent was never able to shine through in college. But the Raiders kept him as an off-ball linebacker during OTAs, minicamp and training camp and the results were immediately noticeable.

The undrafted backer only played 19 snaps in Las Vegas’ first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings but he made the most of them, surrendering just one completion on four targets for four yards while breaking up a pass to earn an elite 90.6 PFF grade.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

He got more playing time the following week—25 snaps—versus the Dallas Cowboys and continued to shine by adding another PBU to his stat line while recording an impressive 75.5 grade.

Finally, everything fell into place for Gainer in the Raiders’ last matchup of August against the San Francisco 49ers where he was on the field for 75 defensive snaps and led the team with 13 total tackles. More importantly, that performance locked in his spot on the 53-man roster.

“I think the best thing that happened for him was that last game,” Pierce said while recapping the linebacker’s preseason performance. “He went out there and played 90-plus snaps. 70-plus on defense and another 15 or so on special teams. And all you saw throughout the game, and we’ve been seeing it all preseason, is a guy just getting better and better.

“But more importantly, somebody that just was playing his heart out. And it meant something to him. Even to that last play where the 49ers were throwing the ball around, if you look at it, I mean, he’s on the ground three times, tackling people, and when the ball ends up at the two-yard line, he’s right there finishing it. So, I thought he did an excellent job.”

As the entire NFL transitions to the regular season, Gainer’s role on the Silver and Black’s defense will diminish. Barring an injury, it’s unlikely that he’ll make any starts at linebacker in the fall. But, like most players on the backend of the roster, he’ll have a role on special teams as a rookie and the organization is optimistic about his future.

“[Gainer has] put himself in position, not just at linebacker, but also on special teams, to be one of the core guys for us,” Pierce said. “There’s still some development there at the linebacker position that will take place over the course of the season, but he gives us a lot of flexibility because of what he’s able to do both on the line of scrimmage, off the ball linebacker and special teams.”

“Amari Gainer had a really good training camp,” general manager Tom Telesco added. “He’s got size and speed, and he shows up. I mean, he really does show up in the passing game really well. And again, [he is] going to have to have some special teams value,…but he’s a young guy with some upside there.”

Las Vegas’ two starting linebackers—Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo—are both impending free agents, so the club could use a long-term solution on the second level of the defense next season. Gainer still has plenty of work to do between now and then, and making the most of his limited opportunities in 2024 will be paramount.

However, don’t forget his name around this time next year…