The Raiders Signing K.J. Wright to a 1-Year Contract Reunites the Veteran Linebacker With a Former Coach
Meredith Nasrall The Raiders signed linebacker K.J. Wright to a one-year contract on Wednesday, reuniting the veteran with his former coach Jon Gruden.
The lv raiders are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada. They are members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
For ten seasons, K.J. Wright was a key member of the Seattle Seahawks defense. The club is disbanding, which means the former Pro Bowl linebacker will have a fresh chance. Wright has agreed to a one-year deal with the Raiders in Las Vegas. The move fills a need for Jon Gruden’s team while also allowing Wright to start again with a familiar face.
Gus Bradley, the Raiders’ defensive coordinator, spent three seasons as a head coach in Seattle.
Gus Bradley has been a coach in the NFL since 2006, when he was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2009, he took a position as defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. For four seasons, he was the defensive coordinator.
Bradley, Dan Quinn, Pete Carroll, and defensive backs coach Kris Richard formed a coaching staff that transformed the Seahawks defense into one of the best in the league. Seattle created the infamous “Legion of Boom” under their command.
Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Earl Thomas, and Kim Chancellor headed the secondary, which was the defense’s strength. As long as everyone was healthy, the defense became known as a no-fly zone and was dominating.
The front seven were also formidable. Opposing quarterbacks were put under pressure by Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and Frank Clark. Linebackers K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner wreaked havoc on the field.
Despite the fact that Bradley’s last season in Seattle was in 2012, he helped develop many players into Pro Bowlers and put the club up for success. In 2013, the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.
Bradley joined the Raiders after stints as head coach of the Jaguars and defensive coordinator of the Chargers. Mike Mayock, the general manager, and Jon Gruden are hopeful he can turn things around. Bringing in a well-known figure like Wright might help.
K.J. Wright was a Seahawks defender who was underappreciated.
K.J. Wright, a former Seahawks linebacker, has signed with the Las Vegas Raiders | Getty Images/Abbie Parr
When the Legion of Boom was in full swing, the Seahawks defense had its fair share of great players. Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas were well-known. Bobby Wagner has made the Pro Bowl seven times and has been named to the NFL All-Pro team six times. At times, K.J. Wright was not given the recognition he deserved.
Wright was selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Seattle out of Mississippi State. He turned out to be one of the draft’s best bargains.
As a rookie, he started 12 games and had 65 tackles. In 10 seasons with the Seahawks, Wright racked up 943 tackles and 13.5 sacks as an inside linebacker. He also has 54 pass deflections, 11 forced fumbles, and six interceptions to his credit.
Wright has never been a standout athlete, but he has been productive and dependable. He’s not the same player he used to be at 32 years old. For a linebacker his age, the short deal makes sense, but he also brings important leadership and experience.
K.J. Wright can serve as a role model for the Raiders’ young defenders.
Last season, KJ Wright was the only player in the league with double-digit tackles for loss (11) and passes defensed (10), while playing out of position in all but two games. Wherever the Raiders place him, he’ll be effective. https://t.co/qQlZiVdk4u
— Michael-Shawn Dugar (@MikeDugar) Tuesday, September 2, 2021
The Raiders will most certainly be dissatisfied if they sign K.J. Wright as an All-Pro linebacker. Bringing him in for his expertise, on the other hand, is a smart move for this brand.
Mike Mayock has high expectations for the Raiders in 2021. According to ESPN, he said, “We feel like we need to be a playoff club this year, and I don’t believe there’s any question about it.” Given the AFC’s contenders, that’s a big order, but the clubs still have a lot of work to do if they want to make the playoffs.
In the summer, the front management did a great job of attempting to rebuild the defense. Las Vegas signed linebacker Denzel Perryman of the Los Angeles Chargers before adding K.J. Wright. They acquired defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to form a pass-rushing combination with Maxx Crosby.
TCU safety Tre’von Moehrig was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Raiders. He gives a secondary that badly needs it playmaking ability. Casey Hayward, a former Chargers cornerback, also joins the defensive backfield as a seasoned presence.
In terms of Wright, it’s unknown what his job will be on the field. However, his guidance may go a long way toward assisting this young defense in realizing its full potential. Johnathan Abram, Tanner Muse, and Trayvon Mullen are among the players trying to create a name for themselves.
K.J. Wright has done it all before. His influence on the Raiders isn’t limited to what he does on the field.
Pro Football Reference provided all stats.
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