Yannick Ngakoue has said all the right things since being signed by the Las Vegas Raiders, and Raider Nation should be as excited as he is that he is here.
Needing help in the pass rush, the Las Vegas Raiders made a play for edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue in free agency, signing a player in free agency that fixes a major issue on this roster. The defense as a whole was atrocious last season, ranked in the bottom three in the NFL, so it was obvious that the franchise would target that side of the ball this offseason.
Target the defense they did, bringing in talent via free agency, and spending five of their seven draft picks on that side of the ball. That gives new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley a ton of talent to work with, and in Ngakoue, they get a player who significantly upgrades them at a position of need.
However, one member of the media, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports actually felt the Ngakoue signing was the worst in the NFL this offseason. That take is just laughable, as Ngakoue is back with the person who drafted him in Gus Bradley, and joins a defense that needed playmakers, making him a perfect fit.
Raiders desperately need help with the pass rush
Ngakoue even recently stated that he and Crosby are the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL, which should get the fan base fired up as well. It is good to see players coming in and putting on the jersey and feel pride about being a Raider, something that should spill over into the field of play.
For a team that notched only 21 sacks as a unit in 2021, the addition of Ngakoue is a monster one, and his impact is going to be felt on all three levels of the defense.
Raiders projected to have the NFL’s fifth-worst defense next season
The Las Vegas Raiders have issues on all three levels of their defense, a unit that was recently ranked in the bottom-five of the NFL.
The bottom line is, Ngakoue can get after the quarterback, and his presence is going to be felt way more than just what kind of statistics he puts up in 2021. He was brought in to cure a real problem on this defense, and fans should be just as excited that he is here, as he is that he is putting on the Silver and Black.