Las Vegas Raiders defensive front has not been good enough in 2020
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders tried to add pieces to the defensive line this offseason, and through six games, they have not been good enough.
When Jon Gruden took over the then-Oakland Raiders, one of the biggest issues was how bad they were at getting after the quarterback. Sure, Gruden kind of created the problem by trading away star edge rusher Khalil Mack, and what ensued was one of the worst seasons in NFL history in terms of quarterback sacks.
The franchise has tried to right that in recent years, spending draft picks on Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby in 2018 after bringing in P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst in 2018. In free agency, they have added the likes of Carl Nassib, Dion Jordan, and Benson Mayowa to name a few, but the plan has just not worked out so far.
On Sunday, veteran Tom Brady had all day to throw, easily picking apart a Raiders secondary that was down two starters in Damon Arnette and Johnathan Abram. If the Raiders continue to struggle up front on defense, this is going to be another season that sees them fall short of the playoffs.
Bringing over Collins and Marinelli from Dallas
Two of the biggest additions for the Raiders came from the Dallas Cowboys, as the team brought in their defensive line coach in Rod Marinelli, and their defensive tackle, Maliek Collins. Collins really turned heads this summer, and was said to anchor the Raiders defense this season, but he has really been a no-show in 2020.
Marinelli, for all the praise of him being one of the best in the game, and a possible replacement for current defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, has not improved this unit at all. Last season, under Brentson Buckner, the Raiders at least showed flashes from time to time, but it has just not been there this year.
The Raiders added another former Dallas Cowboys player in David Irving this past week, elevated him to the active roster, and then made him inactive. Irving was once considered an up-and-coming prospect in Dallas, so hopefully the Raiders can get something out of him as he returns to the NFL for the first time since 2018.
Next. Las Vegas Raiders blown out by Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. dark
After the game, Jon Gruden stated that the team has to get better pass rush, and they plan on addressing that right after the press conference. For a team that looked to be turning a corner against the Chiefs, this was a major step backwards, and changes certainly should be coming before the trade deadline on November 3.