With The First Pick
Fansided

Oakland Raiders Should Move Bruce Irvin Inside

By Carl Cockerham

Nov 2, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin (51) dances after making a defensive stop during the second half against the Oakland Raiders at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Oakland 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin (51) dances after making a defensive stop during the second half against the Oakland Raiders at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Oakland 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
Jan 3, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin (51) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin (51) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Not a Fit for LEO

Irvin led all rookies in sacks with eight in 2012 as a situational pass-rusher but when Chris Clemons was lost in the postseason to an ACL tear, Irvin struggled as an every-down defensive end. He didn’t handle going against 330-pound tackle every play very well and was picked on in the running game.

At that point, then Seahawks linebackers coach and current Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. saw all the speed and athleticism Irvin has and requested to make him a linebacker. Norton’s request was granted and it worked out well, something Irvin feels indebted to Norton about.

And he expressed it to NBC’s Pro Football Talk back in 2013, saying, “I tell Ken Norton Jr. everyday ‘you saved my life. You saved my career making me a linebacker.’ I thank him every day and I just got to keep working hard to make him feel like he made the right decision.”

That was a big part of the reason Irvin was willing to come to Raider Nation when he hit free agency. Remember, all he talked about early on was going to play for his hometown Atlanta Falcons. It didn’t hurt that former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is the head coach there.

Next: LEO Coming Back

Home/Las Vegas Raiders