Solving the Oakland Raiders' Logjam at Outside Linebacker

For once the Oakland Raiders have a good problem to address during the offseason, specifically at the outside linebacker position.

There are too many talented guys and not enough starting spots for all these linebackers to showcase their talents.

Weak-side linebacker Sio Moore is the incumbent starter on the weak side, but he’s dealing with injury concerns after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason. After returning to action, he sat out the last two practices, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair:

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Sio Moore missing a second straight day.

— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) August 9, 2015"

General manager Reggie McKenzie continues to enforce competition across the board, reminding us the NFL is a league that focuses on what you’ve done lately, not exactly what have you done last, per Bair:

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You can’t just say, ‘Remember what I did last year?’ That’s not how it works. This is a ‘What can you do for me now’ kind of league. I don’t think he has a mountain to climb. He just has to get out there and play and show that he can stay healthy for the whole preseason. If he does that, he should be fine. But he can’t rest on his laurels. It’s competitive out here.

"

Don’t buy this for a second when it comes to Moore. He’s the spirit of the defense and brings energy comparable to no other on the roster.

Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. seeks to instill his enthusiasm for the game into the psyche of the defense. Norton will lean on Moore to spread that infectious spirit for the game among the players.

Khalil Mack is officially listed as a defensive end on the Raiders' first official depth chart, creating an opportunity at strong-side linebacker for the reserves. 

Currently, Ray-Ray Armstrong is listed as the strong-side linebacker and Malcolm Smith as the weak-side linebacker. This depth chart isn’t set in stone, and it’s likely to change by the start of the regular season. Mack’s transition to defensive end won’t change with the need for a prominent pass-rusher on the defensive line.

Armstrong took snaps in place of Moore at weak-side linebacker and likely gives way to Smith leading up to the start of the season. The former Seattle Seahawks linebacker exhibited solid pass-coverage skills with a knack for jarring the ball out of the ball-carriers’ grasp in recent practices, per SilverandBlackPride.com writer Levi Damien:

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Carr hits Lee Smith who has it knocked out by Malcolm Smith for a forced fumble. #Raiders

— Levi Damien (@LeviDamien) August 6, 2015"

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Malcolm Smith having a good day. Had pass defended earlier and Just forced a fumble on Latavius. #Raiders

— Levi Damien (@LeviDamien) August 6, 2015"

These types of impact plays come naturally to Smith in coverage. As a part-time starter in 2013, he recorded two interceptions with six passes defensed. Smith’s athleticism and coverage skills solidified the Seahawks defense en route to a Super Bowl victory, in which he earned Super Bowl MVP honors.

When Moore regains his starting position on the weak side, it’ll create a one-on-one competition on the strong side between Smith and Armstrong.

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

The former Miami safety put together an impressive camp, but politics and experience separate Armstrong and Smith. Norton coached Smith for all four years of his career in Seattle. He knows what Smith brings to the table—his strengths and weaknesses. The former Seahawks linebacker also capitalized on a short stint as a starter under Norton.

Armstrong enters his third year in the league with only six starts on his NFL resume. Despite an impressive offseason, his body of work doesn’t compare to Smith’s as a Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP and starter in 16 career regular-season games.

Armstrong’s shift to a rotational linebacker still allows him enough snaps to make an impression on Norton, but he must earn it when the snaps really count during the regular season.

Raider Nation cannot complain about this issue of rotating linebackers. You can never stock too much talent at a particular position. Armstrong’s opportunities should continue to grow in a Raiders uniform.

Keep in mind that it’s unclear whether or not Moore’s latest injury relates to his hip surgery, and he’s yet to start every game of the regular season in his career. Regardless, it’s refreshing to see the Raiders able to reload on talent when necessary.

Who should start at the outside linebacker positions? Share your comments below. Follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for Raiders training camp news.

All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-reference.com unless otherwise noted.