The Las Vegas Raiders defensive line is looking strong heading into the 2024 season. Defensive end Maxx Crosby was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist last season and the team gave defensive tackle Christian Wilkins a $110 million contract in free agency.
That’s not to mention Malcolm Koonce, who had 8.0 sacks last season. The 2021 third-round pick only had 2.0 sacks combined through his first two seasons before breaking out last year. He’s on an expiring contract and could make a lot of money in free agency after the season. A price that the Raiders may not be able to afford, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Malcolm Koonce could be one of those sneaky free agents who makes more money than people expect,” Fowler wrote in an August 9 column. “The Raiders have big plans for him this season but know he will be hard to keep, considering the money tied to Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins up front. Koonce had eight sacks for Las Vegas last season.”
Another big season for Koonce would likely lead to a lot of interest in the defensive end around the league. The Raiders put a lot of value on the defensive line so they could put up a fight to keep Koonce but it’s going to cost.
Tyree Wilson’s Development Could Have an Impact
Whether or not the Raiders want to make a big push to keep Koonce will likely depend on how 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson performs. He had just 3.5 sacks as a rookie and had issues getting off the line of scrimmage quickly.
Wilson was hurt for much of training camp last year so that hurt his development. He appears to have been fully healthy all offseason and has gotten many practice reps. There are no excuses for him this season. Wilson hasn’t been dominating practice so it remains to be seen if he’s developed enough to be an impact player.
If the Raiders don’t think he’ll ever live up to his draft status, they may be more aggressive in trying to keep Koonce. If Wilson makes some real strides this season, then it makes it a lot easier to let Koonce go.
Malcolm Koonce Named Among Breakout Candidates
It could be argued that 2023 was Koonce’s breakout season but he could be even better in 2024. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder went through five edge defenders who have the best chance to breakout this season and Koonce was listed among them.
“Koonce proved to be a consistent rusher even during the beginning of the campaign last fall, racking up 52 total pressures on 344 opportunities according to Pro Football Focus,” Holder wrote in an August 4 column. “That suggests his sack total can at least carry over from last year to this year, especially given the Raiders’ supporting cast.
“Playing on the other side of Maxx Crosby should lead to plenty of one-on-one opportunities seeing as opposing offensive lines will likely slide the protection toward Crosby, one of the best edge rushers in the NFL over the last few seasons.”
This will be the first time Koonce will be going into a season as an unquestioned starter so if he makes the most of the opportunity, he could have a huge year ahead of his first free agency.
