Nicholas

Morrow

Morrow started 12 games for the Eagles last season and racked up 95 tackles, 12 TFLs, and three sacks while serving as the defense’s signal-caller — as Garafolo pointed out. The Bills defense has been dealt several blows over the last week in an effort to get below the salary cap, but still have Matt Milano and former All-Pro Von Miller on the roster. Morrow will be a welcomed addition to an already skilled linebacker corps.

The Bears and Eagles have swapped linebackers as the latter attempt to fill a void left when T.J. Edwards signed with Chicago. Morrow is coming off a season where he had a career-high 116 tackles in 17 starts and now looks to help the Eagles’ defense. The team focused more on retaining players from their defensive secondary, but Morrow will be a nice consolation prize, especially if second-year LB Nakobe Dean can develop. Morrow should be in line for a lot of snaps.

Morrow opened the 2021 season on injured reserve because of a foot injury and was never able to take the field. The injury was a considerable blow to the Raiders’ starting rotation as Morrow had taken on a larger role in 2020. He started 11 games while logging 723 snaps. A stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list kept him out for a few games but Morrow was doing well with the extra volume. He tallied eight TFLs, three sacks, and nine pass defenses the last time we saw him. If he can stay healthy, Morrow could once again earn a starting role, this time for the Bears.

Morrow will miss at least the first three games of the season after coach Jon Gruden proclaimed he would be out “a while” last week. Morrow played 66 percent of the Raiders’ snaps last season, so his injury leaves an already-undermanned linebacker group in a lurch. The Raiders have been active on the open market, adding K.J. Wright and Denzel Perryman.

It sounds like Morrow is going to miss real games to begin the season. He appeared in 14 games last season, playing on 66% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps. He’s as close to an every-down linebacker there is for the Raiders, excelling in coverage and recording three sacks last year. It’s a big loss for the Vegas defense.

Morrow was one of the Raiders better defenders in 2020, and the two parties have been angling for a long-term deal for some time now. The former undrafted free agent has been a decent coverage linebacker, but he hasn’t helped the Raiders’ No. 32 rushing EPA defense. The Raiders appear to have their linebacker depth chart in place and have added DE Yannick Ngakoue this offseason. They still need more help in the secondary and at defensive tackle.

Morrow had a breakout 2020, starting 11 games while leading the Raiders in solo tackles (62) and finishing second in sacks (3) and TFLs (8). The Raiders’ cap space makes Morrow a tight fit, but there’s a late push to bring him back. A three-down linebacker that can play multiple spots, Morrow will have s strong market if the Raiders let him walk.

Morrow went on the list on five days ago, so he was only a close contact and tested negative all week. He’ll be eligible for Week 17 as the Raiders’ starting linebacker.

Morrow has been an every-down player this season. His absence will be a boost for the Dolphins’ rushing attack on Saturday evening. Morrow will be up against it to get cleared for Week 17 if he himself is COVID positive.

It’s the value of Morrow’s second-round tender as a restricted free agent. As a third-year UDFA, Morrow played 728 defensive snaps as the Raiders’ weak-side linebacker. With the additions of Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton in free agency, Morrow could see his snaps dialed back some in 2020, but he still figures to be part of three-linebacker sets.