Robert Spillane: Will He Be a Bust in 2024?

Photo: USA Today Sports

Football is a game of tradition. While the strategies and names may change, there will always be a fair bit that remains the same. Whether it is due to a fanatical fandom that refuses to let go of the past or team ownership that feels it’s their way or the highway, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same in some circles. There may be no greater example than the reputation of the Las Vegas Raiders. This team has been synonymous with a tough and rugged raider “plundering” his way through the NFL season. The defensive identity, now solidified with the hiring of defensive head coach Antonio Pierce, reinforces the identity of this franchise. Defense wins championships. Manning the middle linebacker spot is Robert Spillane, who last season achieved career highs in every major stat category. While the Raiders' identity may continue the tradition set forth by the lauded legends of the game, Robert Spillane’s contribution to this is not something I would buy stock in.

Robert Spillane Had a Career Year in 2023

Spillane had his peak year last season. In some cases, he was a man among boys, especially when you break down his two-month tear that included a whopping 73 total tackles and 2.5 of his 3.5 total sacks. This happened during the fantasy playoff push, which is always a great feather to have in your cap as a player. He nearly doubled his previous season's tackle numbers (his career high at the time) and had an impact in the “big play” categories as well. Three interceptions to go with four defended passes showed us he can impact the game in three ways. Sounds like a pretty good start to what could be a great career as a Las Vegas Raider. The Raiders love their defensive identity and roughneck attitude, and Spillane almost feels like he was created in the forge of the Raiders’ linebackers. So, everything is unicorns and rainbows in Vegas, right? Spillane must improve on these numbers in his second year in the system. Right?

A Down 2024?

As harsh as this may seem, I don’t believe what we saw last season was a reality for Spillane. Throughout his entire career, Spillane was nothing more than a depth player in his linebacker room, which may as well be the fantasy football desert. IDP fantasy football is primarily a game of guys who stand apart from their teammates and peers. This game has 352 players who start, let alone the additional players who get significant snaps but don’t necessarily start a game. If he can’t break through in the various rooms he’s been in, why do we believe this isn’t an outlier situation seven years into his career? He was an undrafted player from a small school (Western Michigan), which also shows us that he doesn’t have anything standing out from an athleticism standpoint in the eyes of NFL general managers. The NFL is loaded with players who achieved great heights as undrafted players, but very few have continued these levels for longer than one or two years.  Not to kick over your sandcastle at the beach, but he also has some real competition for stats in the same position group.