Raiders move linebacker Will Compton to defensive signal-caller

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Raiders coach Jon Gruden vowed last week to make defensive changes after his team gave up 40 and 42 points in consecutive defeats. As it turned out, one of them was making linebacker Will Compton the defensive signal-caller.

Tahir Whitehead had been in that role since Vontaze Burfict’s ejection in Week 4 and subsequent season-long suspension in Week 5. But Compton, who the Raiders signed on Oct. 30, took over in the 20-16 loss to the Jaguars and was one of three defensive players to play each defensive snap, along with safety Erik Harris and cornerback Trayvon Mullen.

According to Compton, the Raiders had been discussing a couple scenarios to shake things up defensively, one of which had been making Harris the defensive signal-caller. But they went the more traditional linebacker route, as Compton said defense coordinator Paul Guenther had been asking for a couple weeks whether he’d be comfortable in the role.

“I’ve always been saying, ‘Yeah, if you put it on me, I’ll be ready to go, I’ll be good to go,’ ” Compton said Monday. “And I was comfortable out there (Sunday) with it.”

Compton said he called the defensive signals occasionally during his time in Washington from 2013-2017. Last season, he played for the Titans before spending a portion of training camp with the Saints this season.

Gruden thought Compton acquitted himself well, particularly because he still played 29 percent of the special-team snaps. Compton led the team with nine tackles.

“He didn’t come off the field,” Gruden said. “For a guy that walked in here last month, it’s pretty incredible, really. Really pleased with Compton.”

While inserting Compton worked out well for the first three quarters — the Jaguars had only six points, six first downs and 154 total yards when the fourth period began — there was a clear collapse in the final 15 minutes as Jacksonville scored two touchdowns to win.

The Jaguars used an 11-play, 79-yard drive and a seven-play, 65-yard drive to take a four-point lead with 31 seconds in the fourth quarter.

Compton said he felt like things were covered decently in the back end of the defense, but Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew continued to extend plays with his feet and made accurate throws.

“Minshew, I mean, you’ve got to tip your cap to him,” Compton said. “It’s nothing against our D-line or anything. We knew we were going to have to rally to him because he was going to scramble a lot.”

While Compton acknowledged there are issues to clean up defensively, he said the unit can still build on its performance from the first three quarters.

“The weeks prior, we gave up a billion points. Yesterday, we held them to a few yards of rushing in the first half,” Compton said. “We’ve got to build on that stuff.”

As for Compton personally, he said he just wants to continue to show he can bring effort and a fun-loving energy to the field in these last two weeks.

“I know as far as big picture, I’m on the back nine of my career — whether I’m playing at a high level or not. So I’ve been very conscious about enjoying every moment I have, no matter what’s happening, and embracing my teammates, embracing the locker room and just having fun,” Compton said.

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Contact Myles Simmons at msimmons@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @MylesASimmons on Twitter.