Raiders: Expect big changes on the defensive side in 2022
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders have a new regime in charge in 2022, and you can expect wholesale changes on the defensive side of the ball.
Going into their first offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders, general manager David Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels have a lot of work to do in terms of the roster. The Raiders have solid cap space currently, but also a bunch of ways they could free up more, and some of that money could come from cutting ties with some key defensive players.
Overall, you can expect wholesale changes on that side of the ball in 2022, and here, we look at how each level will be affected.
Raiders: Expect big changes on the defensive side in 2022
Defensive Line
One of the key moves for the Raiders during last year’s free agency was bringing in Yannick Ngakoue, who had some big moments in Year 1 with the team. Pairing him with Maxx Crosby also helped in the development of Madd Maxx, so adding him was definitely a win for the organization.
Also in free agency last year, the Raiders revamped the interior of their defensive line, adding the likes of Quinton Jefferson and Solomon Thomas to name a few. They and holdover Johnathan Hankins are all entering free agency once again in 2022, so you can expect some wholesale changes to the roster at the defensive tackle spot.
Las Vegas is likely moving to a base 3-4 defense with Patrick Graham as the defensive coordinator, so getting it right in the middle of the defensive line is paramount.