Silver And Black Pride
I previously broke down the Raiders 2024 and 2025 differences on offense. This time around on defense, the Raiders may not be as fortunate. The team upgraded their offensive heavily, defensively things were the focal point of criticism this off-season. New head coach Pete Carroll has a track record of elite defenses from his time at USC and obviously with the Seahawks. The Raiders and Patrick Graham have had their ups and downs but hopefully 2025 can be the year things click, but development looms big:
* Note: Basing majority of the grading for upgrade/downgrade/push off players who played majority (50%+) snaps in 2024. While injuries happen, the rosters impact doesn’t change *
Can I start by saying the whole defense has a world of confusion going on with it, and the EDGE position is no different. When you really sit down and break things down, there’s not a ton of change in the position between 2024 and 2025. The biggest change is simply the return of Malcolm Koonce. Koonce was coming off a strong 2023 season where he logged 51 pressures and 10 sacks. The Raiders were banking on Koonce in 2024 before he suffered a torn ACL ending his season before it began. In stepped Tyree Wilson and K’Lavon Chaisson. Wilson logged 37 pressures (good for 2nd on the team), 4.5 sacks, and a 10% win rate along with 27 tackles and 6 TFL. Las Vegas is banking on a big season from Wilson, who will likely rotate in with Malcolm Koonce to give Koonce the ability to stay fresh off his injury. Chaisson was notable for Las Vegas logging 29 pressures, a 12.8% win rate, 5 sacks, 7 TFL, an INT, and FF in his 15 games. Maxx Crosby will also be fully healthy in 2025, which of course is a huge step forward.
Las Vegas did retain Charles Snowden, who was alright in 2024 with 16 pressures, a 7.3% win rate, and 1.5 sacks. The Raiders also brought in former Rams 5th rounder Brennan Jackson as a bottom of the room depth piece. Jackson didn’t play significant snaps in 2024 but posted 3 sacks, a 16% win rate, and 5 pressures this preseason. After the loss of Chaisson, the rest is worth noting but not reading into much. Las Vegas may regret not retaining Chaisson, who played well when called upon as a third pass rusher. They like what they have in Snowden and Jackson provides a boost. The development of Tyree Wilson along with Crosby and Koonce being healthy do make the room a push instead of a downgrade, but a lot needs to go correct or the Raiders are really just running a three man front at EDGE.
