3 Oakland Raiders Thrust into the Spotlight After Rolando McClain's Sentencing

Chances are, a few Oakland Raiders will have to step up in a major way in Rolando McClain's absence this season.

The team's starting middle linebacker was sentenced to jail for 180 days after being found guilty on charges of third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm. 

Although his attorney filed an appeal and a request for a jury trial, one has to expect NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend McClain for a good portion of the 2012 campaign. 

Tank Johnson was initially given an eight-game suspension that was later reduced to six games after the defensive lineman served 60 days of a 120-day jail sentence on his gun charge. 

So, Oakland must move forward without their 2010 first-round pick in their immediate plans. 

Which players have been thrust into the spotlight?

Aaron Curry, LB 

Curry is slated as the team's weak-side linebacker, but took some snaps as the middle backer in the team's OTAs. 

While the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 draft isn't incapable of playing in the middle, but moving his position would cause a reshuffling of the entire linebacking corps. 

Travis Goethel, Miles Burris or Nathan Stupar could eventually work their way into the middle spot, but Curry needs to live up to his early draft status and become a fine starter. 

Even if he stays outside, he'll need to be around the football more and can't solely rely on McClain to take on blocks in order to make plays. 

Tyvon Branch, S

Branch is the team's franchise player and, quite frankly, is an underrated safety. He's not elite, but is a sound last line of defense that's been a tackling machine for the Raiders in his first three seasons with the team. 

He totaled 101 tackles last season with one sack and no interceptions. 

Branch needs to be more impactful without McClain in the lineup. He needs to make his presence felt more against the run and occasional reel in an interception. 

As Oakland's strong safety, he'll play relatively close to the line of scrimmage and must fly to the football to help improve one of the league's more porous run defenses. 

Philip Wheeler, LB

Acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency, Wheeler surprisingly had his best pro career last season on a anemic Colts defense. He totaled 84 tackles, one sack and one forced fumbles in 13 games. 

He'll be the strong-side linebacker for the Raiders in 2012, and with the loss of McClain, he'll have to step right in and contribute right away. 

At 27, the fifth-year pro is at the prime of his career, and won't have much time to learn the nuance so of the Raiders' scheme. 

McClain wasn't a dominating force in his first two professional years, but his big body took on plenty of blocks that freed up other defenders. 

If Wheeler can be an attacking outside linebacker to help contain runs to the outside, he'll be a huge help to the Raiders defense. 

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