Morrison becoming leader of Raiders’ defense

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Thursday, July 02, 2009  |  Comments( 27 )

Oakland Raiders
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Although the Oakland Raiders feature several playmakers on defense, linebacker Kirk Morrison has assumed the role as the unit's leader. Since arriving in the Bay Area in 2005, Morrison hasn’t missed a game and has compiled nearly 500 tackles. With the Raiders poised to break a string of six consecutive losing seasons, Morrison and the Oakland defense will have to do their part in 2009.

While Nnamdi Asomugha supplies the Raiders with arguably the top cornerback in the NFL, Morrison’s contributions at middle linebacker have deemed him as the heart and soul of the Oakland defense. Morrison has racked up at least 116 tackles in each of his four professional seasons and totaled a career-best 135 stops a year ago. Furthermore, Morrison’s managed to intercept seven passes.

In addition to Morris, Thomas Howard has developed into a tremendous talent at linebacker. Howard’s emergence has helped take some of the focus of Morris, allowing him to patrol the middle of the field with the reassurance of Howard’s abilities on the outside. Both players are under 27 years of age and have the potential to supply the Raiders with an excellent tandem at the position for a while.

The addition of veteran end Greg Ellis will also help free up Morrison in the second tier of Oakland’s defense. Ellis has proved capable at the point of attack and the team’s defensive line will need to control the line of scrimmage in order for Morrison to continue his high level of play. Additionally, the emergence of a third solid linebacker will be crucial. Ricky Brown and incoming rookie Slade Norris are two potential candidates on the roster.

Although Morrison has shined since entering the NFL, the Raiders’ defense has struggled of late. They’ve finished outside of the top 20 in total defense in each of the last two seasons after ranking third in the league in 2006. If Oakland’s defense can revert back to its form of three years ago, a successful campaign could be on the horizon. If the team is unable to progress as needed, another losing season will likely ensue.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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CommentsComments: 27  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
neil b		01:25 AM
07/03/2009
I'm not sure if middle linebacker is the best position for Kirk.I had hoped we would draft a middle linebacker so that Kirk could ...
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No.2
neil b		01:35 AM
07/03/2009
Being English I have no idea what tomorrow means to my American friends on this site. I just want to say have a great weekend and ...
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No.3
Alex Guzman		08:47 AM
07/03/2009
Thanks for all your thoughtful posts, Neil B. Since you're from the other side of the pond, I'll just wish you a fun and safe ...
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