Raiders sign veteran linebacker Preston Brown, add another new face

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ALAMEDA -- The Raiders added another veteran defender on Monday, signing Preston Brown to supplement the linebacker corps. Brown worked out for the Silver and Black and officially joined the team in the wake of Sunday’s 17-10 win over a Cincinnati Bengals team that cut him recently.

Brown’s an old-school middle linebacker, someone who can make sure tackles and fit in well on obvious rushing downs. The Raiders primarily use two linebacker sets even in base packages, bringing in relative newcomer Will Compton against heavier sets.

Brown believes he’ll be able to integrate well and play quickly, considering the similarities between Paul Guenther’s scheme and what is run in Cincinnati.

“I have a lot of the terminology down already, so it’s just a matter of getting back,” Brown said. “I’m excited about it.”

He has watched Raiders film already and likes what he has seen from this group. Brown helped run the Bengals defense until recently. He was released on Tuesday, spent a couple days as a free agent and now is with a new team.

He goes from a winless crew to one in the playoffs, an intriguing aspect of this new gig.

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“It’s really cool, especially coming from an 0-9, now 0-10 team,” Brown said. “There’s a lot more life, a lot more energy over here. That’s fun to be around.”

The Raiders are Brown’s third team in six seasons. He spent his first four NFL years as a full-time starter in Buffalo before moving on to Cincinnati in 2018. He wasn’t as integral to that team. His best season came in 2017, when he had 101 tackles and three passes defensed.

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