By week four of this season, the Raiders realized what the Chiefs and pretty much everyone else already had; that Derrick Johnson was done. At that same time, they were discovering that Marquel Lee was a much better option. He would have 10 tackles in the team’s win over the Browns, beginning a string of seven straight starts at the middle linebacker spot.
Lee was looking much improved from his rookie season, but soon he would start getting his plays usurped by undrafted rookie Jason Cabinda, suggesting the team is still looking for an answer at the middle linebacker spot.