Raiders Are Getting PFF’s No. 2 Graded Linebacker in Denzel Perryman

Earlier this year, Denzell Perryman was touted as one of the savviest signings of the Panthers’ offseason. Now five months later, the Raiders are getting Perryman (assuming he passes a physical) for the mere swap of a sixth and seventh round pick with the Panthers.

But what exactly are the Raiders getting in Perryman?

Everyone knows about the connection Perryman has with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, but Perryman is actually coming off his best NFL season in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus analytics. Only one starting linebacker in the league (Fred Warner) was given a higher PFF grade than Perryman last year.

Based on PFF grading, Perryman was well above average as a run defender in 2020, but he also excelled in coverage (which hasn’t always been the case throughout his career). Had he been on the Raiders last year, Perryman would have been the highest-graded defensive player on the roster and it wouldn’t have been particularly close.

The biggest issue with Perryman over his career has been his history of injuries. A fuss was also made over his vaccination status in July, but it’s unclear if that had anything to do with the Panthers decision to trade him. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule had already announced Jermaine Carter as Carolina’s starting middle linebacker, but that had a lot to do with the fact that Perryman was injured for most of training camp.

If healthy, the Raiders may have struck gold with Perryman, who is still only 28 years old. Given his understanding of Bradley’s defensive system, it might soon be safe to pencil in Perryman as one of the Raiders week one starters at linebacker.

twitter: @raidersbeat