Midseason Review: Raiders’ Defensive Line Fails To Succeed

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Considering a strength before the season started, the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive line struggles to live up to the lofty expectations.

Entering this season, the Raiders’ defensive line looked like it could be the team’s strongest position. That has not been the case as this defense continues to struggle despite the run stuffers and pass rushers that were added at the beginning of the season. Vegas switched to a versatile defense with more nickel, less cover two, and fewer 4-3 fronts than previous regimes. They made strides last year under one year of Gus Bradley but that was all negated. 

Opponents Bring the Air Show 

Currently, Vegas allowed the eleventh most passing yards. They sit last in sacks with only ten this year. Vegas stands tied for the fourth most passing touchdowns allowed. The Raiders are tied for the third least interceptions and fumble recoveries too. Vegas also allowed the eleventh most rushing touchdowns and the fifteenth most yards this season. All that does not fall on the defensive line but their play certainly not helping the secondary. Here’s what we know about the Raiders’ d-line after nine games. 

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Edge Issues 

They added a versatile pass rusher like Bilal Nichols and traded Yannick Ngakoue for Chandler Jones on the edge. Jones cost a lot of money but was said to be a scheme fit. He’s yet to prove he’s worth it. Jones gets into position to make plays in both the run and pass due to his length and speed. However, he doesn’t have the same kind of explosiveness to close on quarterbacks and ball carriers. I haven’t seen him have the same speed to power in the pass rush. Jones was lining up late and his stance was all over the place early in the season. He’s been solid in the run but will also get caught occasionally for being overaggressive. Jones battled injuries last year so he might not be fully recovered. He’s gotten better over the last few weeks but the Raiders did not spend all that money for him to be solid. 

The Myth Of Age

Either way, don’t blame it on age because Justin Houston, Jerry Hughes, and Von Miller are all over thirty with eight sacks. Hughes and Houston were also scheme fits and cheaper than Jones. Hopefully, Jones can figure it out sooner than later. Also hope he can stop having a strap hanging out his jersey. 

Last Chance For Cle

Otherwise, Clelin Ferrell remains on the roster. Ferrell has been playing standup and defensive end, even though he looks uncomfortable in coverage. He looked good at the beginning of the season. Ferrell was showing he could get off the ball. Ferrell brings good size, speed, and athleticism but he has not brought it all together as a pass rusher. He only has one half-sack but he’s been close and his stunts have helped set up Crosby and Jones. 

The Spark?

Ferrell has cooled down since the beginning of the season but I’d still like to see him operate more as a defensive tackle. Ferrell does need to prove he has the strength and hands to get off blocks for that. They made him a healthy scratch last week, despite his showing improvement this season. None of his replacements looked any better so please don’t quit on Cle quite yet. It’s laughable that the team benched him after he had arguably his best game of the season versus Jacksonville. 

End Buddy Ball

Hopefully, the coaches also stop playing favorites. Ferrell might not be the player the Raiders drafted with the fourth-overall pick. However, he has shown he can play in the league. And we’ve seen plenty of Raiders ends go on to make a career with other teams after leaving the Raiders. I don’t want to see Ferrell have a breakout season with another team next year. He’s said all the right things despite all the questions and adversity he’s faced with the Raiders. Ferrell is the longest-tenured player and he’s been through how many coaches and defensive line assistants? Malcolm Koonce has yet to prove he can stick on the field, even though he should’ve benefited from the scheme switch. Tashawn Bowers has also played some on the edge but not brought much. The Raiders need help on the edge for Maxx Crosby ASAP. 

Maxx Saves The Day?

Speaking of Crosby, he has seven of ten sacks this year. He continues to pressure the quarterback and make plays in the passing lane when he can’t. Crosby has also taken the next step as a run defender. He’s playing with more discipline, using his length to attack the front side and his speed to chase run defenders down. Somewhere Al Davis smiles watching Crosby play with swagger and relentless motor that embodies old-school Raiders football. That’s why he got a nice extension this year. 

The Banana In The Tailpipe

Crosby might still get caught slipping on a fake or he will run hot on long drives but some of that falls on his supporting cast. Crosby is the most consistent player on this roster. He’s by far the scariest player on the defensive line and the entire defense. Kudos once again to Crosby for making the leap to the elite defensive end, amid his own sobriety and entrance to fatherhood. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be an All-Pro this year. PFF also has him as the second highest-graded player at his position. It’s great to see him in the top 10 for sacks. He’s also getting national media attention. Let’s see him keep running up the sack total. Otherwise, what else do Raiders fans have to look forward to on defense? 

Interior Stressed

Vegas double-upped on run stuffers bringing back Johnathan Hankins, along with Andrew Billings. Vernon Butler and Kyle Peko were also added to the mix. Butler was cut, Hankins was traded a quarter way through the season and Peko has yo-yoed on the roster by bouncing between the active and practice rosters. Kendall Vickers was also brought back but hasn’t done much. He brings some juice as a speed rusher inside, but he’s not great against the run. 

Dropping The Dime On Nichols

Bilal Nichols was signed as a pass rusher. He’s played both inside and outside but most of his playing time is on the inside. Nichols has yet to register a sack, even if he’s gotten close with hits and hurries. His best game came versus Jacksonville but he’s yet to show he can play both the run and pass consistently. Nichols brings good speed, length and gets off to the interior line. However, he can get pushed around in the run or create seams by getting too far upfield. 

Waiver Renaissance?

They just signed Jerry Tillery from the Chargers. Tillery should bring some strength and length to help them two-gap in the run and push the pocket in the pass rush. The former Charger is still trying to live up to his first-round bill from four years ago before his contract expires after this year. That puts Nichols on notice for sure. Nichols has one more year on his deal, but it’s not all guaranteed. I’m glad the Raiders are taking a chance on Tillery. He’s a scheme fit and knows the division. Perhaps he adds some run-stuffing but he’s yet to prove himself as a pass rusher. That’s why he got waived anyway, with only one sack this year and 10.5 over his career. 

Youth Movement

Neil Farrell and Matthew Butler were drafted to challenge for playing time now and become the future of the interior. Butler has been hurt but ineffective when on the field. Farrell has shown glimpses but he’s still figuring out how to be an every-down player. I’m not sure either deserves more reps but that could change if the Raiders’ season keeps trending down. 

Big-Time Billings

Vegas’ best d-lineman besides Crosby has been Andrew Billings. The Raiders stashed Billings shortly after he was released from the Chiefs practice squad. Billings bounced around a bit after signing with the Browns. He opted out of 2020 due to COVID and the Browns released him after a few games last year. It was unclear what the Raiders would get with Billings considering his weight issues. They also signed other run stuffers and had Jonathan Hankins on the roster.

Different Approach

Billings has quickly shown he can stick. He’s a different kind of run stuffer than Hankins. Hankins used his size and length to stalemate defenders and hold the line. Billings can do some of that but he can also get upfield and penetrate gaps. He can push the pocket a little bit better than Hankins. Billings is also a little bit younger which is why he’s still on the roster. His motor and competitive toughness has also improved over the season. 

Less Is More

Ultimately, Billings would play better in a limited role. In all honesty, most players his size at his position though. The Raiders need others to step up so they can take Billings off the field too. If he can clean up his tackling he may turn into a Pro Bowl-caliber player. PFF ranked him in the top 25 at his position, despite some missed tackles. His contract expires after this year, but he could get a nice raise with the Raiders or another team who needs a versatile nose tackle. 

Moving Forward

The Raiders’ defense makes mid and mediocrity seem like a dream. Part of that starts with a defensive line that struggles to execute. Underwhelming feels like an understatement for this underperforming defensive line group. Usually, teams use deep defensive lines to keep players fresh and exploit matchups. The Raiders use a deep rotation more as a means to an end. Vegas rotates a slew of guys hoping someone can stick in the 1-2 roles beside Crosby and Billings. 

Scheme Change

It might make sense to switch to more base 4-3 looks since that’s what many of these guys are used to. Yet, that requires the Raiders to employ viable linebackers, which is an entirely separate column. Overall, the Raiders have relied on utilizing players based on the situation. They must pick and choose between run defenders and pass rushers since they don’t have four guys who can do both at a high level consistently. That works early in games and in practices but it’s much harder in the fourth quarter, with no huddles and long drives. 

Poor Planning Leads To Poor Execution

This is part of the reason the Raiders collapsed with leads in the fourth quarter. Their defensive line runs out of gas. They don’t possess the pass rushers to get off the field. The Raiders’ run defense plays solid when they’re making tackles, but it can quickly fall apart with the right play caller and ball carrier on the other side.

Playing For Employment

Either way, the Raiders just need to find their front four. Guys look to compete for jobs at this point. Plus, the last thing the team needs are people playing on scholarship or quiet quitting. It doesn’t matter if it’s Nichols, Tillery, or Ferrell serving as the third and fourth linemen. Each possesses length and versatility enough to play inside or out. Vegas just needs to find help for Billings and Crosby ASAP. The defense made some plays, but they can make more if their defensive line can stop the run and rush the passer consistently. The linebackers need them to eat up blockers and the defensive backs need the pressure to help them in coverage. It all starts upfront.