Raiders Review: Defensive Line Failed To Meet Expectations

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In 2022, the Las Vegas Raiders spent to improve the defensive line. Unfortunately, the results failed to meet the investment.

The Raiders’ defensive line could be summed up as Maxx Crosby and everyone else in 2022. Crosby is the Raiders’ most consistent force on defense. He showed consistency against the run and continued to cement himself as an elite pass rusher. Vegas signed Chandler Jones to provide Crosby a compliment on the other side of the defense. However, Jones took a while to get acclimated to the Raiders. He did not look like the same athlete Jones had glimpses of but got hurt as soon as he started clicking. His large contract makes it hard for the team to move him.

Cash And Carry

Bilal Nichols showed flashes versus the pass. The Raiders used him as an interior and edge rusher. Nichols was limited versus the run most of the season but improved as the year went on. Vegas could save some cap by trading or cutting him this offseason. Other guys like Jerry Tillery, Andrew Billings, and Clelin Ferrell showed glimpses besides Crosby. Yet, they showed enough limitations for the team to ponder them returning for a new contract next year. Kyle Peko and Kendall Vickers played in spots. Neither showed more than rotational potential. Rookies Neil Farrell and Matthew Butler were seen as plug-and-play guys. However, Butler battled injuries and showed size limitations. Ferrell took a bit to find his way into the rotation but flashed some run capabilities.

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Dying On The Edge

The edge rotation wasn’t much better. Malcolm Koonce and Tashawn Bower never made the most of their opportunities. What did we learn from the defensive line moving into 2023? The biggest takeaway from last season? This front office isn’t afraid to make a move. You saw them ship a starter, Johnathan Hankins, out for a draft pick when they could. They took a flier on Tillery after he was waived. Ferrell was a healthy scratch one game as were a couple of other guys. Vegas proved they are not afraid to play with the defensive line rotation. Expect more moves in the offseason. Hopefully, they are more strategic about their signings than last year when they signed a bunch of defensive tackles. Half didn’t make the team.

Crosby is HIM

2022 was Maxx Crosby’s year. He proved he could single-handedly take over a game. Crosby showed up in the Raiders’ biggest moments. His motor was more consistent. Not only did he prove he can convert hurries into sacks, but he showed he is one of the better-run defenders in the league as well. Crosby answered anything you could have asked for from him in years past. He finally started getting national attention. Teams started keying on him more. He proved he could handle the pressure. We all should be excited to see what he does next. Let’s pray he gets some help.

Valued Versatility

The Raiders’ defense truly values versatility. That’s the biggest lesson of 2022. On the defensive line players often played inside a house. The edges drop back and rush the passer. They are not afraid to mix up even and odd fronts. Vegas will utilize different packages. All great things to keep in mind as his team tries to rebuild their defense for the draft and free agency.

Deep Rotation Rising

Again the Raiders use a lot of different fronts. And some of that was out of necessity. Other times it was based on the situation. Expect the Raiders to build a defensive line that is deep next year. Hopefully, they fill that deep rotation with players who are less one-dimensional.

Further Issues

One more time. The Raiders’ d-line had Crosby and what else? Every week we asked ourselves the same question. Who else will make a play besides Crosby? Jones gave us millions of reasons to hope for but did not deliver consistently. He found himself in great positions but he did not have the same explosiveness to finish the play. Call it rust from injury or just old age. Either way, we expected more. Clelin Ferrell was also underwhelmed again. To be fair, 2022 was probably his best season. He had ups and downs but flashed consistency in disrupting the passer, holding his run lane, and setting up some of the other rushers with good stunts. Ferrell played inside and outside. He dropped back and put his hand in the dirt.

Forever Inconsistent

Still, we never saw him show the strength and hands to play inside regularly. He also got eaten up on pass rush and lost contain a few times. Thus why he never took Jones’ reps. Four years later, Ferrell was a No. 4 overall pick and we know he can play in the league. He just hasn’t cemented himself as an every-down player or a dominant force yet. Unfortunately for Ferrell, his contract is up and his best may never come in Silver and Black. Regardless, the Raiders need to get Crosby some help. They can try and move Jones but that could cost them some draft capital. And if they draft an edge, he is going to be under pressure to perform immediately.

Stuck In The Middle

Vegas also has some questions to answer in the middle of the defensive line. Andrew Billings showed he could stay on the field more consistently. He did battle injuries and fatigue. If he can stay healthy and on the field, he can disrupt the run-and-pass game. His contract is up. Of course, he needs to work on his tackling and conditioning to get a really big deal. It’s unclear if the team will bring him back or if he will get more money somewhere else. The Raiders also shipped out Jonathan Hankins and Kendall Vickers. Kyle Peko was on and off the roster. He did give the Raiders a spark at the end of the season. Jerry Tillery also looked decent as a Raider. He proved he can get off the ball and up the field. He is solid versus the run and pass. It all depends on his price and market. Another year of him would not be bad as he could play all over the front.

Camp Struggles

Several other veterans didn’t make it through camp. Will Vegas again throw spaghetti at their defensive line and expect it to stick? Last year’s rookies also need to prove they can stay in the league. We need to see more strength in the anchor out of Butler. Farrell needs to show he can push the pocket as a pass rusher. Will the Raiders finally spend a high draft pick on a defensive tackle? Either way, they need to find some help on the interior d-line ASAP. Where will the dollars and cents come from? All Raider Nation getting excited for free-agent quarterbacks must realize that money has to come from somewhere. The twenty million the Raiders have in the cap goes fast if they re-sign Jacobs and add a QB to replace Derek Carr.

Who Gets Paid?

Duron Harmon, Denzel Perryman, and Rock Ya-Sin all made plays when healthy. Their contracts are up and what if they get more cash elsewhere? Not to mention, Billings and Ferrell could find a role in Vegas next year at the right price. The Raiders have to find value on defense if they want to keep using deep rotations. Plus, every team has injuries. Bilal Nichols could be a cap casualty. Raiders can save half his contract by cutting him or over $5 million by trading him. Nichols is versatile enough to play inside or out. He flashed an ability to rush the passer and he is on the right side of 30. However, he got eaten up in the run most of the season. The team is going to need to make some space somewhere. Nichols might get another year to prove himself in the scheme but we should not be surprised if the Raiders ship him out.