Raiders DTs Can Set the Tone for Defensive Success

The Las Vegas Raiders are hoping to be much better on defense this season than they were in 2022.

They ranked near the bottom of the NFL in several defensive statistical categories, including rushing yards per game allowed and team sacks. These stats can pertain specifically to the production of the defensive line.

The Raiders’ defensive line was not very impactful last season, failing to get to the quarterback or stop the run. Now, with a few new faces and some returning starters, they are looking to have a bounce back season.

Improvement on the defensive side of the ball starts in the trenches, and can determine how good a defense is overall. Football is the ultimate team sport, and everyone has to do their job in order for the team to be successful.

Defensive line success can have a domino effect on the rest of the defense. If they are stopping the run, that limits an entire element of an opposing offense. If they are getting after the quarterback on defense, players in coverage have a better chance of making plays on errant or rushed throws.

Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham is heading into his second year calling the defense, and he has worked with some of the best defensive tackles in today’s NFL in the past. Now, he has a chance to teach the Raiders’ defensive tackles what he taught guys who have gone to the Pro Bowl and earned big contracts.

Bilal Nichols and Jerry Tillery are slated to be the starters at the defensive tackle spots. Nichols played a high number of snaps last season, establishing consistency for that position that he will look to carry into 2023.

Tillery joined the Raiders midseason in 2022, showing promise and some flashes of what made him a first round pick in 2019. He is hoping to turn those flashes into consistent play in 2023.

The Raiders also added young talent at the defensive tackle position in the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting Byron Young in the third round and Nesta Jade Silvera in the seventh round. These young players could have a chance to make an impact early on in their careers.

If the Raiders want to improve defensively, it will start up front, and they have the pieces to make it happen.

The Las Vegas Raiders open training camp for the entire team on July 25, 2023.

The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

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