Las Vegas Raiders: 10 free agents that could help the pass rush

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 14: Drew Lock #3 of the Denver Broncos throws under pressure by Jadeveon Clowney #99 of the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter of a game at Empower Field at Mile High on September 14, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 14: Drew Lock #3 of the Denver Broncos throws under pressure by Jadeveon Clowney #99 of the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter of a game at Empower Field at Mile High on September 14, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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How much does Ryan Kerrigan have left in the tank? Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
How much does Ryan Kerrigan have left in the tank? Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

DE/OLB Ryan Kerrigan

Ryan Kerrigan is another name on this list that is definitely on the backside of his career and should not be seen as a savior of the Raiders’ pass rush, but rather a stopgap improvement. Kerrigan has seen his snap counts decrease steadily over the past few years and played a career-low 38% of the defensive snaps for Washington this year.

It was also the first time in his nine-year where Kerrigan was not a starter, but he still had a very productive season given his limited opportunities. The former Purdue Boilermaker recorded 5.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits in 16 games as a rotational defensive end.

None of these are eye-popping numbers, but they would be among the leaders on the Raiders in all of those categories in 2020. Kerrigan has spoken openly about wanting to be a starter at his next stop, which could keep him from joining the Raiders, who have Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby entrenched in the starting roles.

However, if Kerrigan is enticed by what Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock are building in Las Vegas, then he would represent an improvement on the mish-mash of ends the Raiders added throughout the season and could provide some veteran leadership as well. We won’t expect another double-digit sack season, as he had four times in his career, but even a handful would be an improvement for the Silver and Black.