Raiders Say Goodbye to Ex-Vikings Linebacker
The Las Vegas Raiders selected 10 rookies during the 2026 NFL Draft, evidently creating a roster off-ramp for former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jamin Davis. He’s the odd man out.
Davis once looked like a long-term defensive piece in the NFL. Now he’s searching for another NFL landing spot.
Las Vegas dropped Davis last week, and the once-promising defender will now bide his time for his next opportunity.
Former First-Round Pick Hits the Market Again
Do you remember Jamin Davis?
LV Drops Davis
That’s a wrap for Davis in Sin City. RaidersWire‘s Levi Damien wrote Thursday, “Rookie minicamp starts Friday. But before they welcome the draft class and undrafted free agents into the building, the Raiders made a move to make room, cutting LB Jamin Davis from the roster. The former first round pick joined the Raiders last season, first signing to the practice squad and then to the active roster.”
“In total Davis appeared in two games for the Raiders with one start. He had three combined tackles in those appearances. Davis originally entered the league as the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by Washington out of Kentucky. Five games into his fourth season in Washington, he was released following consecutive seasons finishing the year on injured reserve.”
Davis will now hope for a summer contract to possibly latch onto a team’s practice squad.
The Raiders’ Current ILB Corps
With Davis out of the way, the Raiders will roll into the summer with these inside linebackers, highlighted by two newcomers:
- Quay Walker
- Nakobe Dean
- Tommy Eichenberg
- Cody Lindenberg
- Segun Olubi
- Xavian Sorey
- Chris Thomas
Had Davis stuck around, he would’ve slotted around OLB5 or OLB6 in the group. Instead, Las Vegas signed Walker and Dean — two college teammates at Georgia — from free agency, shoving Davis off the roster.
SI.com‘s Xavier Trezevant on Walker: “The on-the-field reasons for signing Walker are obvious. His talent warranted the payday he got from the Raiders. Yet, Walker’s addition also frees up others on the defense and makes life easier for defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. In Dean and Walker, Las Vegas has a solid group of linebackers.”
“Walker must improve in coverage, but he is still likely better than what the Raiders have had previously. He will also give the Raiders another legitimate threat to pressure and sack quarterbacks via the blitz, another area Las Vegas has struggled in over the past few seasons.”
Davis’s Career to Date
In 2025, Davis saw minimal playing time, logging just 16 defensive snaps in Las Vegas. The year prior, 2024, offered more opportunities but yielded modest results. He played nine games, split between Washington and Minnesota, before a late-December stint in New York, where he accumulated 18 tackles and a sack over 107 snaps.
Despite his recent struggles, Davis brings significant experience. Washington selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he never quite broke out with the team. Across 54 career games, including 36 starts, he has compiled 287 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, and 8 sacks.
Davis’s destination resume during his career:
- Washington Commanders (2021–2024)
- Green Bay Packers (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings (2024)
- New York Jets (2024)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2025)
And the Pro Football Focus history:
- 2021: 46.8
- 2022: 62.9
- 2023: 67.6
- 2024: 51.1 (limited snaps)
- 2025: 41.6 (limited snaps)
Raiders’ 2026 Outlook
With a new head coach in charge, Klint Kubiak — yes, the same guy who ran the Vikings’ offense in 2021 — Las Vegas finally has some optimism heading into a summer. Kubiak just engineered a Super Bowl-winning offense as the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks last season. It’s his time for the big job in Vegas.
The Raiders also drafted Francisco Mendoza with the first overall pick, and he has the pedigree + smarts to succeed as a franchise quarterback. Kubiak and friends scooped Kirk Cousins from the free-agent wire last month, too, who’s ready to start until Mendoza has matured enough for the QB1 title.
The Raiders also added Tyler Linderbaum (C), Kwity Paye (EDGE), Taron Johnson (CB), Spencer Buford (G), and Jalen Nailor (WR) from free agency, in addition to the aforementioned Walker and Dean. In the draft, after Mendoza, Las Vegas notably picked Treydan Stukes (CB/S), Jermod McCoy (CB), Keyron Crawford (EDGE), and Mike Washington Jr. (RB).
All things considered, signs are pointing up for the Raiders for the first time since the Jon Gruden era.
Oddsmakers expected Las Vegas to finish around 6-11 this season, which would be a step in the right direction, believe it or not.
Davis will turn 28 in December.
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