Middle Man: Robert Spillane should return, but if he doesn’t, here’s options that make sense

A veteran like Bobby Wagner could swing a reunion with Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders

With projected cap space north of the $90-million mark, the Las Vegas Raiders are set to have plenty of operating room to build a roster this offseason. And it’s easy to see why Raider Nation is eager to see how it plays out.

The scenarios and speculation on how general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll intend to spend the salary cap coin to build a build a team to their liking are aplenty. And being flush with that kind of spending means the chatter won’t cease anytime soon.

Add into the mix the fact that the Raiders have a bevy of in-house players slated to hit the open market when the new league year begins next month, it’s going to be an interesting offseason for the new regime.

One of those 17 Raiders that’ll hit unrestricted free agency is middle linebacker Robert Spillane. To be clear: I wholeheartedly believe it’d be in Las Vegas best interest to bring him back to the Silver & Black.

Last month, I wrote about how the steady — if not spectacular — veteran is a heartbeat-type player and how Las Vegas should bring him back to the fold. In that piece, i explored contract numbers that Spillane may see from the Raiders or on the open market. The 29-year-old is a productive tackler (306 total tackles and 5.5 sacks) that can cover and generated six takeaways (five interceptions and a fumble recovery) during his two seasons with the Raiders.

And he’s a valuable locker room leader to boot.

Let’s explore a what-if scenario where the Raiders and Spillane can’t come to terms. Who are the free agent options that make sense?

Bobby Wagner

The most obvious option based on history with Carroll, fit, and need. Our Bill Williamson explored a potential Wagner-Carroll reunion a week ago and despite being 34 years old, the 6-foot, 241-pound linebacker remains every bit as effective and productive after a sustained 13 years in the NFL.

He racked up 132 total tackles, 10 stops for loss, 2 sacks, four pass deflections, and four fumble recoveries this past year for the Washington Commanders.

If Wagner were to come westward to Las Vegas, Wagner would reunite with not only Carroll, but linebackers coach John Glenn, who served as the Seattle Seahawks linebacker boss from 2018-23.

But Wagner is in a what-if scenario too, as he could re-up with the Commanders after the team finished 12-5 in the regular season before falling in the NFC Championship Game 14-6 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Cody Barton

Here’s another former Seahawks draft pick under Carroll’s tenure that may hit the open market.

Signed to a meager one-year, $2.5 million deal by the Denver Broncos this past offseason, Barton proved to be a productive member of Denver’s domineering defense. Racking up 106 total tackles to go with 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 5 pass deflections, and 52-yard fumble recovery for touchdown, the 28-year-old is likely going to earn a solid raise from that deal he inked last offseason.

At 6-foot-2 and 237 pounds, Barton has the size for both inside and outside work. And he has a solid season in 2022 under Carroll and Glenn (136 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, six pass deflections), so the familiarity is there.

Lavonte David

This digs into Spytek’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers connections. David is another grizzled veteran — he’s 35 years young — that’s spent his entire 13-year career in Tampa.

As productive as both Spillane and Wagner, the 6-foot-1 and 233-pound inside linebacker is coming off a 2024 season that saw him finish with 122 total tackles, 9 stops for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 interception, 6 pass deflections, and 3 forced fumbles.

But at age 35, David could decide to hang up his cleats as he contemplated retirement last offseason before returning to the Bucs for the 2024 campaign.

Devin White

Once a bastion for former first-round reclamation projects, perhaps the Raiders can dig into that old well once more with a linebacker Spytek is familiar with.

The No. 5 overall pick int he 2019 NFL Draft, White spent his first five seasons in Tampa Bay before a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagle sand ultimately the Houston Texans in 2024. He turns 27 on Feb. 17 and is one of the younger options at inside linebacker and did produce 566 total tackles, 23 sacks, 3 interceptions, and nine fumble recoveries with the Bucs.

With the Texans, White finished with 19 total tackles.

Inked to meager $1.125 million pact by Houston after he was cut by Philadelphia, the price to acquire White isn’t going to be steep.

Devin Bush Jr.

Another reclamation option, if Spytek and Carroll are so inclined.

Bush did spend 2023 in Seattle so there’s familiarity there with Carroll and Glenn, and the 10th overall pick in the 2019 draft is one of the faster inside linebackers available (4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL combine). But he is “only” 5-foot-1 1 and 235 pounds.

That all said, the 26-year-old defender finished with 76 total tackles, 8 stops for loss, 1 sack and 3 pass deflections for the Cleveland Browns in 2024. The lone year he spent with the Seahawks, Bush totaled 37 tackles and 5 stops for loss.

Bush signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Cleveland in 2024, so like White, his services won’t break the bank.