Free Agent Swilling Could Fill Raider Linebacker Void

The Raiders are attempting to sign linebacker Pat Swilling, a five-time Pro Bowl player. A source close to Swilling said the free agent has an offer from the team. Unless the two sides hit a snag, an agreement could be reached as early as today.

Swilling, 30, also talked to the Atlanta Falcons. He would be given an opportunity to replace Winston Moss at an outside linebacker spot with the Raiders.

Moss signed with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving the Raiders without a starting linebacker with more than two years of experience. Greg Biekert, a two-year veteran, is set at middle linebacker. Rob Fredrickson, coming off his rookie year, will start at one outside spot and concentrate on pass coverage.

The question about Swilling is, how much does he have left from his Pro Bowl days?

A nine-year veteran, Swilling spent seven of those seasons with the New Orleans Saints and the last two with the Detroit Lions, making the Pro Bowl every year from 1989 to 1993. He collected 76.5 sacks as a Saints, but only 10 in his two seasons in Detroit, only 3.5 last year.

The Raiders would be satisfied if Swilling could defend effectively against the run and lend some experience to the linebacking corps. They don’t ask their linebackers to blitz much anyway. Fredrickson led all Raider linebackers in sacks last season with three.