Earlier in the week, I explored how the Las Vegas Raiders are making a concerted effort to improve all three phases of the game this offseason — namely, special teams.
The additions of kicker Matt Gay, wide receiver Dareke Young, fullback Connor Heyward, and linebacker Segun Olubi gives special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis a core group of free agents that can shore up deficiencies that eroded a portion of the Raiders’ game which was steadfast prior. But there’s an incumbent special teamer that’ll likely quickly get in DeCamillis’ favor: Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg.
Advertisement
The third-year fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft (148th overall) out of Ohio State carved quite the niche role in Year 2 expanding on his core special teams work and breaking a 31-year-old franchise record and becoming the Raiders new single-season special teams tackler leader with 23 in 2025.
It shouldn’t be surprising to see the 25-year-old breakout on special teams. At 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds, Eichenberg has the build for it and this past season, showcased the availability and durability to play all 17 games and notch a team-high 371 snaps on special teams (88 percent of the group’s total in 2025). Eichenberg was a core special teamer his rookie season with 313 snaps but played in only 14 games due to injury.
The willingness to play special teams is not only Eichenberg’s own determination, it’s out of necessity. Coming to Ohio State, the Cleveland native knew he’d be joining a loaded defense and there was only one path for him to play early as an underclassman.
“Back in college we always used to say, ‘the best players play,’” Eichenberg told the team’s official website. “So I knew that was the only way I could get on the field back in college, because defense was just kind of a far shot when you’re young and there’s a lot of great players ahead of you.
“I really just tried to get on teams my freshman year and I used that to gain trust from the coaches and go from there. If you can do your job right on teams, then they’re like, ‘Maybe we can use him on defense.’ Especially when you’ve got to be able to tackle and run. Some of the harder things in football are what (special) teams requires.”
As a gunner on punt coverage units, for example, you’re sprinting downfield eyeing the return man and trying to both maintain your own speed while weaving through traffic and avoiding blockers. And, even when you do everything right, you can still get washed out or ran past. But there are the occasions where the stars align and special teamers get to unload and display their wallop. Eichenberg is no different.
Advertisement
“I never counted the tackles ever. People would always try to tell me how many I had and I told them, ‘Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know,’” Eichenberg explained. “Honestly, when you look at it, one of the harder things about teams is if the ball is coming your way. Because the ball can go so many different ways and some of these games, the ball just came my way and I got lucky.”
Eichenberg’s hard work so far in his two seasons in Silver & Black will be hard for the new coaching staff to ignore. The willingness and productiveness on special teams will keep the third-year linebacker from getting lost in the shuffle — even with the ideal additions of Young, Heyward, and Olubi. Las Vegas needs more players of Eichenberg’s ilk to make special teams an asset once more and not a liability.
And with each of the aforementioned names, they have an opportunity to make a run or impact in their respective position groupings.
Advertisement
For Eichenberg (and Olubi), the Raiders switch to a 3-4 defensive front under rookie defensive coordinator Rob Leonard opens up competition and potential snaps with four linebackers slated to be on the field at the same time. In year’s past and under a different defensive boss (Patrick Graham, now Pittsburg Steelers play caller), the Silver & Black often deployed just two or three linebackers at a time in the base 4-2-5/4-3 fronts.
Leonard, who rookie head coach Klint Kubiak praised for “having a plan” and “creativity”, has the opportunity to not only get more linebackers on the field. And the additions of free agents Quay Walker (Green Bay Packers) and Nakobe Dean (Philadelphia Eagles) most certainly strengthens what was a questionable linebacker room in terms of talent and depth.
While Eichenberg and Olubi may face an uphill climb to dislodge both Walker and Dean from expected starting spots, Leonard learned under sound defensive minds like Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks head coach) and Brian Flores (Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator) where controlled chaos and unpredictability is key. And if the Raiders defensive play caller is as creative as Kubiak expects, deploying defenders in different looks to confuse the opposing offense is in order.
Advertisement
Eichenberg can fit the thumper role at inside linebacker — a defender whose mission is to eliminate the run by taking on and shedding blocks to get to the ball carrier. It’s a role that he excelled in his junior y ear at Ohio State where he led the team with 120 total tackles (77 solo) with 12 stops for loss, 2.5 sacks, and an interception.
Yet, if Eichenberg can’t crack more defensive snaps — he’s totaled 169 in his first two seasons with Las Vegas — and special teams remains his calling in the pros, the Raiders will good. Because teams can’t have enough special teams mavens. And it’s going to be interesting to see Eichenberg and Olubi elevate DeCamillis’ unit this coming season.
Read the full article here