Las Vegas Raiders: Linebacker Will Compton Leaving The Door Open To Return In 2020
If former Nebraska football great Will Compton has anything to say about it, he could be back with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. If he does come back though, it won’t be before he tests out the open market. The linebacker, who signed with the Raiders during the season last year and took over starting duties towards the end of the 2019 campaign, shared his thoughts on social media over the weekend.
Commenting on a story about the Cleveland Browns letting Joe Schobert go the free-agent route, Compton tweeted that he, too, was not going to get a contract offer before the free-agency period starts later this month.
“The real story. A story so big that no one is talking about. Will Compton will hit the open market and become a free agent. Again.”
He was then asked by a follower whether or not that meant he was closing the door on returning to the Raiders and he made it clear there was a chance he could be playing in Las Vegas in 2020. Compton tweeted he had a great meeting with the front office on his way out the door the final time and that “nothing is off the table.” He then made several jokes about other potential job offers he was going to be pursuing over the offseason.
The former Nebraska football star has played seven years in the NFL, with most of those being as a Washington Redskin. His career started off as a rarely-used linebacker and special teams player, but he got his shot to see the field more in 2014 and made the most of it, amassing 60 tackles in five starts and 16 games played. In 2015, he started 10 of the 16 games he appeared in and racked up 96 total tackles and a sack.
Compton took over the full time starting job for Washington the next season and rewarded the team with 106 tackles in 15 starts. Injuries in 2017 robbed him of all but nine games that season and he was allowed to depart before the 2018 season kicked off. The former Husker eventually signed with the Tennesee Titans and played in 12 games while starting two in the 2018 season.
Last year with the then-Oakland Raiders, he got into nine games and took over starting duties as the team closed out the year. He finished last season with 41 total tackles and got rave reviews from the Raiders’ coaching staff, even as the team just barely missed a playoff spot.
Will Compton became a bit of a fan favorite thanks to his quick rise form mid-season signee to starting linebacker and fans expressed interest in seeing him return in response to his tweets. Just what the Las Vegas Raiders, who have talked often about upgrading the roster do, is yet to be known.
