Where Should Raiders Turn for Pass Rush?

The Las Vegas Raiders must find a consistent pass-rushing presence next to Maxx Crosby.

Oct 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) celebrates his sack in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have several important decisions looming regarding several free agents. 

Many of those free agents are on the defensive side, the side of the ball where you could argue that the Raiders were much better.

New head coach Pete Carroll brought Patrick Graham back as the defensive coordinator, maintaining continuity. Graham is a very good defensive coach who players enjoy playing for, so Carroll made a good decision. 

Now, it is up to new general manager John Spytek to build a competitive defensive team for Graham. 

While the Raiders' defense was solid in 2024, they took a step back from their excellent 2023. Graham must determine why things went wrong and correct them. 

One thing that went wrong was the Raiders' lack of pass rush. They finished with 38 sacks, which ranked just outside the bottom 10 in the league.  

It did not help that Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins, and Malcolm Koonce all dealt with injuries that kept them out for multiple games. The trio missed a collective 34 games in 2024. 

The Raiders need Crosby and Wilkins back healthy, which should improve their ability to attack the quarterback. Koonce is entering free agency, so it remains to be seen whether he will return. 

If the Raiders lose Koonce and other free agents like Janarius Robinson and K’Lavon Chaisson, where else could they turn for pass-rush help? 

There are not many long-term options at edge rusher in free agency. Would the Raiders look to reunite with a 34-year-old Khalil Mack? Or take a chance on 31-year-old Haason Reddick, 33-year-old DeMarcus Lawrence, or 32-year-old Matt Judon? 

The best free agent on the board is Philadelphia Eagles star Josh Sweat, but he will likely be back with the NFC Champions. The Raiders may not look hard here. 

They could try to swing a trade for Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, although that would be expensive. It would likely take multiple draft picks and possibly a quality player. We’ve seen crazy things happen, but don’t expect this to be realistic. 

The Raiders could turn to the 2025 NFL Draft, but Penn State star Abdul Carter is far and away the best pass-rusher in the class. It is a deep edge class, so the Raiders could take a swing on someone in the second or third round, like Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart or Oregon’s Jordan Burch.

Does Graham want more interior pressure? If so, there are plenty of ways he could find it. If the Raiders do not bring back Adam Butler, they will need to put someone next to Wilkins. That could be a player like Jarran Reed or Folorunso Fatukasi. 

The draft is deep with interior linemen like Oregon’s Derrick Harmon and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. Graham and Spytek have options here. 

The Raiders must improve on the defensive line and finally give Crosby a consistent pass-rushing presence across from him (or next to him). 

Getting after the quarterback will take their defense to new heights in 2025.

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