Tahir Whitehead Reportedly Close to Agreeing on Contract with Raiders

Veteran linebacker Tahir Whitehead is reportedly "closing in on a deal" with the Oakland Raiders, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Whitehead was the Detroit Lions' leading tackler this past season, finishing with 78 total tackles and 110 combined tackles. He also had one sack and an interception, both of which were his first since 2015.

Those numbers help illustrate Whitehead's strengths and weaknesses.

The 27-year-old is good against the run. He can react quickly and has the speed to chase down ball-carriers before they get too far into the second level, which explains his high tackle totals.

The downside is that Whitehead can struggle in pass coverage. According to Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site, quarterbacks had a 102.9 passer rating and threw for three touchdowns when targeting Whitehead.

He doesn't deserve the lion's share of the blame for Detroit finishing 27th in pass defense (243.2 yards allowed per game), but Whitehead had a role in the team's failure to rein in opposing quarterbacks.

Despite that, it's surprising the Lions decided against re-signing him. Detroit could potentially elevate Jalen Reeves-Maybin into a starting role, but the rookie didn't go above and beyond in 2017.

The free-agent market isn't flush with quality outside linebackers, either—at least any who would represent a clear upgrade over Whitehead.

Whitehead isn't a high-ceiling signing for Oakland, but the Raiders know exactly what they're getting with him. His issues in pass coverage don't completely wipe out the value he'll provide against the run.

Whitehead's dependability shouldn't be overlooked, either. Since the Lions selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, he has missed three combined games.

All things considered, Whitehead should be a solid addition for Oakland's defense.