From Georgia to the NFL: Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker join forces with Eric Stokes

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — When the Raiders were looking to improve their roster in the offseason, two of their moves were to bring in a pair of former Georgia teammates accustomed to playing at a high level.

Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker played on the Bulldogs' 2021 national championship team before going on to the NFL. Dean played for Philadelphia, winning the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and Walker was at regular playoff participant Green Bay.

They joined former Georgia teammate Eric Stokes, who enters his second season as a Las Vegas starting cornerback after signing a contract extension.

“It helps a lot to where like we got our own little things that we used to say throughout UGA,” Stokes said. "Even in the meeting room, we’ll make little jokes or whatever, like we used to do back in college. But it’s just another building block to it and we all are just happy to be here.”

Raiders first-year coach Klint Kubiak said bringing all three players together created instant chemistry.

“It’s a phenomenal program there (at Georgia),” Kubiak said. "Happy to have those guys and hope that their toughness rubs off on the rest of them.”

The Raiders could use the help.

They were 25th last season in allowing 25.4 points per game, though more middle of the pack in yards given up (317.8) because the Raiders' offense struggled to move the ball. That, in turn, kept the defense on the field, creating opportunities for opposing offenses to take advantage of a tiring set of defenders.

Las Vegas was last in the NFL with just 14.2 points per game and with 28:02 average time of possession.

So changes were made on both sides of the ball, the offense most notably upgrading its quarterback position by signing veteran Kirk Cousins and drafting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall. The Raiders also bring back Brock Bowers, another Georgia product, who has become one of the league's top tight ends and is having a strong training camp.

Then on defense, they brought in Dean and Walker.

Injuries have sidetracked Dean two of the past three seasons, but in 2024, he started 15 games for the Eagles' Super Bowl team and made 128 tackles, including nine for loss.

He missed Raiders organized team activities and minicamp this year because of an undisclosed injury, but has been a full participant in training camp.

Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said Dean has brought a sense of “command, confidence,‘Robbie, get out of my huddle.'’'

"It feels good to have that at the (middle) linebacker,” Leonard said.

He was just as glowing in speaking of Walker's approach, saying “he loves to be coached hard.”

Like with Dean, Walker is searching for a new beginning in Las Vegas, but hasn't been dogged by injuries like his former and current teammate.

Walker started 57 games over four years with the Packers, including 14 last season. He reached triple digits in tackles each season and totaled 29 for loss for his entire tenure in Green Bay.

“I’m just trying to bring a certain intensity here, certain type of culture, a way guys should really play, which is the ‘Raider Way’, fast, physical, just with a certain type of attitude," Walker said. "But I’m not trying to come here and beat everybody else. I think everybody can say the right things, but it’s another thing to go out there and actually do it.

"So I’m just focusing on proving my point and proving myself right, proving the organization and my teammates right, and just going out there and playing the right way, and just let my play speak for itself.”

Dean and Walker are back with Stokes, who played for Georgia from 2018-20. Stokes produced a comeback season of sorts with the Raiders last season, starting a career-high 16 games and playing his first four seasons with the Packers. Pro Football Focus rated him the 14th-best cornerback last season out of 114.

The Raiders awarded him with a three-year, $30 million contract, with $20 million of it guaranteed.

“It’s a big family here to where it’s hard to leave here,” Stokes said. "You feel loved, you feel welcomed, you feel the energy from everybody in the building and it’s just pretty much contagious to where you want to build with, you want to grow with. You see the direction everybody going with, and you love it.”

Tight end Michael Mayer “busted his nose open” in practice Monday, Kubiak said, but noted the player will be fine. Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. was back at practice after being helped off the field Sunday.

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FILE - Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) tries to tackle Kentucky running back Asim Rose Jr. (10) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Oct. 31, 2020, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)

FILE - Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) covers New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) during the second half of an NFL football game Sept. 7, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper, File)

FILE - Georgia defensive back Eric Stokes runs with the ball after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Dec. 12, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson, File)

FILE - Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, top front, runs over Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game Sept. 17, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

Las Vegas Raiders safety Eric Stokes (5) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Quay Walker (7) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates made a significant push to improve their beleaguered bullpen at the trade deadline Monday, acquiring a handful of relievers, most notably veteran right-hander Luke Weaver from the New York Mets.

Pittsburgh, looking to end a decade-long playoff drought, sent 21-year-old shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura to the Mets in exchange for the 32-year-old Weaver.

The addition of Weaver signals an unusually aggressive financial push by the typically frugal Pirates. Weaver is in the first season of a $22 million, two-year contract.

Pittsburgh also added right-handed relievers Kirby Yates from the Los Angeles Angels, Lake Bachar from the Miami Marlins and took a flyer on San Diego prospect Andrew Moore.

The moves come with Pittsburgh's bid for a National League wild card flickering a bit following a 2-7 stretch in which the bullpen faltered repeatedly, most notably in an 8-7 loss to Cincinnati last Friday when a two-run lead in the eighth inning quickly evaporated.

“We’ve worked hard to try to add to the team because we believe in the team,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “You know, we believe this team can win games and make a push into October. And the bullpen was an area that we intended to strengthen. We feel good about the individual pitchers coming onto the team, felt like the prices we paid made sense.”

Stafura was the only top-10 prospect Pittsburgh parted with at the deadline, and Cherington pointed to depth at the position — most notably in 20-year-old rookie Konnor Griffin — as a reason they felt they could make an aggressive bid for Weaver.

Pittsburgh's bullpen can certainly take all the help it can get. The Pirates have blown 20 of 42 save opportunities this season and already released reliever Dennis Santana, who began the year splitting the closing duties with Gregory Soto.

Pittsburgh's dealing started before Monday. The Pirates brought in former All-Star reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday. Doval allowed a run in one inning of work during his Pirates debut in a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday.

Weaver had been one of the few bright spots this season for the last-place Mets, going 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA and one save in 42 appearances. A converted starting pitcher, Weaver has been excellent since moving to the bullpen full-time in 2024 with the New York Yankees. He has a 13-8 record with a 2.90 ERA and 13 saves in 168 games with the Mets and Yankees over the last two-plus seasons.

Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly called Weaver's experience a plus for a young staff, most of whom are in a playoff race for the first time. Weaver excelled during the 2024 postseason with the Yankees, recording four saves and posting a 1.76 ERA while helping New York to the World Series.

“The demeanor and just the way he goes about things is something that has stood out to me from the other side, and how he stays poised and continues to attack the strike zone,” Kelly said. "He’s been really good against righties and has had success against left-handers as well.”

While the Pirates could use Weaver as a closer, he's more likely to see action in high-leverage situations before the ninth.

“I’m sure he’s going to close some games, and I’m sure that we’ll see him in the seventh and eighth,” Kelly said. "He’s going to pitch in big spots.”

Yates also has plenty of experience in significant moments. The 39-year-old led the National League with 41 saves in 2019 with San Diego and was an All-Star in 2024 for the Texas Rangers. He is 0-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 31 games this season with the Angels.

Every pitcher but Yates is under contract for 2027, which Cherington said points to the club's belief that it plans to continue to build around a young core that includes Griffin and reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes beyond the end of this season.

The moves came on the same day Pittsburgh lost veteran starting pitcher Mitch Keller to a season-ending injury to the teres major muscle in his right arm. Keller reported pain in the area after exiting Sunday's loss to Cincinnati.

Cherington declined to say who will replace Keller in the rotation, though Carmen Mlodzinski, who pitched well during the opening months of the season while waiting for Jared Jones to return from right-elbow surgery, seems the most likely candidate.

AP freelance writer Rich Rovito in Milwaukee contributed to this report.

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New York Mets pitcher Luke Weaver throws out Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández at first base during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)