Which Raiders Defensive Position Group is Strongest?

The Las Vegas Raiders have three strong position groups on defense who can contribute to their success.

The Las Vegas Raiders found success in the second half of the 2023 season, which helped them win games and keep them in the playoff race until the end.

The Raiders were a force defensively.Under Coach Antonio Pierce and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham. They played like one of the best defensive units in the league midway through 2023.

What sparked the Raiders’ defensive turnaround was a more aggressive approach. Defensive end Maxx Crosby and linebacker Robert Spillane led a highly competitive group that played inspired football. 

The Raiders finished 15th in total defense in 2023, a major jump from 28th in 2022. They played exceptionally well at all three levels.

Las Vegas will look to maintain that level of play in 2024, even hoping for some improvement. It wants all three levels of its defense to play at a high level again, but one group may stand out amongst the others. 

But which group will that be? Let’s first look at the defensive line.

The Raiders were led in that group by Crosby off the edge, who had another fantastic season, finishing as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and showing no signs of stopping. 

The Raiders got impressive production out of Malcolm Koonce off the edge in his third season. He finally put all the pieces together and proved he could be a long-term option across from Crosby. The Raiders also got great production from their interior defensive linemen, including Adam Butler and John Jenkins. 

They then went out and got Christian Wilkins in free agency, one of the premier defensive tackles in the game. The Raiders now have Crosby terrorizing offenses off the edge and Wilkins wrecking game plans on the interior. 

Looking at the linebacker group, Spillane and Divine Deablo both had career seasons in 2023. Their skill sets complement each other, as Spillane is the downhill run-stopper, and Deablo is the athlete who can cover the middle of the field. The Raiders may want to find a third linebacker to go with these two. 

The secondary needs to improve. It has talented young players, like cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones and safety Tre’von Moehrig, but it needs more veteran help. 

Marcus Epps provided a stabilizing presence at safety. The Raiders may want to add through the 2024 NFL Draft at cornerback, and thankfully for them, this class is full of talented cornerbacks.

Looking at which position group will be the strongest in 2024, it will likely be the defensive line. With star power and depth, this group will set the tone for the entire defense.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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