Las Vegas Raiders: Early takeaways from the start of 2021 training camp
Edge Rushers looking dominant early on
Last season, the Raiders managed to get to the quarterback for a sack only 21 times, with seven of them coming from Maxx Crosby. The second-year edge rusher has blossomed into a real star for the Raiders coming off the edge, but due to a lack of talent around him, he was double-teamed on most occasions.
In 2021, that is not going to be the case, as the team brought in Yannick Ngakoue as their cornerstone free-agent pickup. Through the first two days of camp, it is evident that Ngakoue was well worth the investment, and if he can bring this kind of intensity from the practice field to the actual games, this is going to be money well spent.
In Ngakoue, the Raiders now have a proven edge rushers to play on the opposite side of Crosby, and he has already said that the two will be the best pass-rushing duo in football this season. With guys like Malcolm Koonce, Clelin Ferrell, and Carl Nassib behind them, you have to feel this once major weakness is now turning into a strength.