Tahir Whitehead

The deal includes a $1.45 million signing bonus. Whitehead has started 87 games for the Lions and Raiders since 2012. He's racked up at least 100 tackles in each of the last four seasons, but graded out as one of PFF's worst coverage LBs in 2019. Still, the Panthers' league-worst run defense can use all the help they can get.

The move clears nearly $6 million in cap space. Whitehead has started 87 games for the Lions and Raiders since entering the league in 2012. He'll be 30 years old in April, but should still command some interest on the free agent market. PFF graded Whitehead as the league's 13th-best LB against the run among 99 qualified players in 2019.

Whitehead racked up more than 100 tackles for a fourth straight year, handily securing the Raiders' team lead in tackles over safety Erik Harris (74 tackles). Whitehead did not create any turnovers nor sack an opposing quarterback in 16 games, however. Whitehead will turn 30 in April as the veteran linebacker is due to make a base salary of $5.95M in the final year of his current contract with the Raiders in 2020.

Whitehead had logged only 10 total tackles throughout the Raiders' three previous games combined, so Sunday's 11-tackle performance was a solid bounce-back effort. Expect Whitehead back on the field for close to 100 percent of the Raiders' defensive snaps again in Week 15.