Las Vegas Raiders 2019 Position Review: Defensive Ends

Did the position group meet expectations?

The answer is a mix of yes and no based on each individual player that lined up at defensive end for the Raiders. Rookie Clelin Ferrell was taken 4th overall and if he was judged solely on that and the other pass rushers taken in the draft then he failed to meet the expectations that come with being selected that high.

The Raiders chose Ferrell for his leadership and character as much as his talent but the three pass rushers taken after him in the first round were all more productive with Jacksonville’s Josh Allen more than doubling his sack total. Ferrell notched 4.5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss but 2.5 of those sacks came in one game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Ferrell’s struggles could be attributed to a stomach virus that caused him to lose over 15 pounds during the season and the fact that he was asked to play in the interior did not help him statistically. The former Clemson Tiger has vowed to come back stronger and build on his rookie season so we will have to wait and see.

The standout performer in the group was fellow 2019 draft pick Maxx Crosby who was not selected until the 4th round. Crosby was a legitimate Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate and exploded in the second half of the season with eight of his ten sacks in the final eight games. The irony is that Crosby’s production would have made him more worthy of the 4th overall selection than Ferrell but he of course did not have the pedigree as his counterpart.

Benson Mayowa was a strange case as he set a career high with seven sacks as a situational pass rusher but for whatever reason the coaching staff did not appear to fully trust him. He was a healthy scratch in Week 4 against the Colts and saw his snaps steadily decrease throughout the season. That could have been due to the emergence of Crosby but Mayowa was still incredibly productive for his contract.

Josh Mauro was brought in as a run defender which is a necessary but not very glamorous job and he did all he could in limited opportunities. Second year pass rusher Arden Key looked an improved player after a difficult rookie season but his season was cut short when he was placed on injured reserve after Week 7 with a broken foot. Late addition Dion Jordan joined the team in Week 11 and recorded two sacks and two tackles for loss in seven games.

Overall the group exceeded expectations in 2019 and the two rookies provide a foundation to build on for the 2020 season and beyond.