The play of their defensive line under position coach Rob Leonard has been one of the few bright spots for the Las Vegas Raiders this season. The question now is what does the future hold—do you run it back with everyone?
Raider Nation eagerly anticipated the impact of a revamped defense in the trenches during the offseason. General manager Tom Telesco made a splash in his debut as Raiders general manager when he signed Christian Wilkins—just like that, the team would finally have a complimentary piece at defensive tackle to free up Maxx Crosby. You also had the emergence of Malcolm Koonce the year prior; we all assumed he would build on his eight sacks.
Additionally, fans eagerly anticipated Tyree Wilson’s development as he transitioned into his second season. Regrettably, things didn’t exactly pan out for all parties involved. Wilson has quietly had an impressive sophomore campaign. Our own deputy editor, Alex Monfreda, has extensively covered Wilson’s progress, and as we look to 2025, the Raiders could have something special, indeed. That aside, injuries derailed both Wilkins and Koonce this season; the latter didn’t even get to take the field in 2024.
However, in their stead, the Raiders have seen notable contributions from others. Specifically, Adam Butler, with three and a half sacks, ranks third on the team. Moreover, Butler’s seven tackles for a loss have significantly contributed to a defensive line that has lost numerous key players. The question regarding Butler is whether you bring him back; he’s playing on an expiring deal after all.
The emergence of Raiders DL K’Lavon Chaisson…
Something that no one had in their crystal ball coming into 2024 is that we would be talking about K’Lavon Chaisson on the Raiders. Since receiving more consistent playing time, the former 20th overall pick has established himself in Sin City. He’s posted two and a half sacks in the last three games along with an interception, three tackles for a loss, and five solo tackles. Much like Butler, the question is whether he should return in 2025.
As most within Raider Nation are aware, we won’t be seeing Crosby until 2025. A lot of questions surround this unit’s future. One thing that’s undeniable is that, despite numerous injuries, Coach Leonard has done a spectacular job. It’s not a knock on certain players, but the fact is, Leonard has coached up and put contributors that would be practice squad guys in positions where they’ve shined as starters. You could argue he’s one of the best coaches on an otherwise bloated and disappointing staff.
Leonard will likely garner interest as a defensive coordinator somewhere, but you’d think he’d be a priority for this team, right? Regardless, he’s not the only one that we will have to monitor. Koonce, for example, was playing in a contract year himself, and the team was banking on some monster numbers to hopefully justify a new deal. Instead, Koonce might return on a trial basis to test his ability to recover from his injury. Then again, another NFL team starving for pass rush could overpay him.
Whether it’s Telesco or someone else making the decisions this offseason, running it back with this group could be a surefire way to keep the defense competitive in 2025.
*Top Photo: The Raider Ramble
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The post What’s The Future Of The Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Line? appeared first on The Raider Ramble.