Rob Leonard Has Plan To Elevate Raiders' Defensive Line

The Las Vegas Raiders gave Rob Leonard a promotion in the offseason. How will that impact their success on defense next season?

Jun 11, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) looks on during Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders were a disaster in 2025, and both sides of the ball are to blame. I thought their defense was better than their offense, but it mattered little when Geno Smith's turnovers consistently put them in bad spots.

Smith's no longer on their roster, and it's a new day for their defense. Not all of their defensive shortcomings can be blamed on the team's offense, which is why the new Raiders regime put a lot of thought into how they attacked it this offseason.

Attacking It the Right Way

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

One of the best decisions they made this offseason was promoting Rob Leonard from their defensive line coach to their defensive coordinator. This shows that the Raiders are prioritizing consistency and familiarity in a time when nothing is set in stone, which is how they can begin rebuilding their culture.

Similarly, this is an excellent signing given his background. The defensive line is the biggest strength of their team, and they helped bolster the second and third levels of their defense. That gives Leonard all the firepower he needs to make this defense leagues better than it was in 2025, and that's what the Raiders were hoping for when they promoted him.

Instilling the Correct Values

May 2, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Keyron Crawford (42) speaks during a news conference at the team’s Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Raiders selected Keyron Crawford with their first pick of the third round, and he was interviewed after the first couple of days of rookie minicamp. One of the questions he was asked was about Leonard and the defensive philosophy and direction he wants his young players to take with them into their rookie seasons.

"Everything that I'm being taught is everything that I did at Auburn. It's really similar to what I've done, and it's an exciting position to be in," said Crawford. "It's really just about being the main attacker, that's the main thing. Be the attacker and always be forceful in what you do".

Auburn Tigers buck Keyron Crawford (24) runs drills during practice at Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Ala. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is especially poignant for Crawford to take to heart, as one of the things he needs to work on is battling through offensive linemen's hands off the edge. It's a good thing that Leonard is reminding them from this point forward, because their defense will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if they want to convert their offseason moves into wins in the regular season.

For them to reestablish the culture that's been missing from the Silver and Black, defensive intensity has to be a part of the equation.