Las Vegas Raiders continue to revamp the roster ahead of Dolphins game
The Las Vegas Raiders move on from Kenny Young and fill the spot with a veteran edge rusher.
Tuesday afternoon marked the deadline for teams leaguewide to go from 90 to 85 rostered players. As the deadline inched closer, the Raiders finally released their cuts. The players on the chopping block were EDGE Gerri Green, DT Vernon Butler, CB Nate Brooks, OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and a surprise cut Demarcus Robinson.
As it turns out, Las Vegas wasn’t done making cuts quite yet. On Thursday, the team announced linebacker Kenny Young was being released. In a corresponding move, the Silver and Black brought in edge rusher Jordan Jenkins.
Jenkins was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Throughout his career, the former Jet has accumulated 25 sacks and 7 forced fumbles. He was a full-time starter in New York, notching a combined 62 starts. Jenkins earned a grade of 69.4 during his final year as a starter via Pro Football Focus.
Las Vegas had high hopes with Vernon Butler, but unfortunately, the veteran defensive lineman didn’t do much up to this point. Defensive end Gerri Green followed the same suit as he tried to find a new home. The Raiders released Butler so he could get a head start somewhere else, and Green to free up a spot in the edge unit. Now, Jenkins fills that void on the edge.
Jenkins has a legitimate chance to make the Raiders’ roster
That’s right – don’t be surprised if Jenkins walks away with a roster spot at the end of the preseason.
Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones may just be the best edge-rushing duo in the league. Crosby was an All-Pro last year, and Jones finished the ’19 season as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year award. That said, the depth behind the pair is far from great.
Tashawn Bowser is having a nice preseason campaign and Koonce has gotten some flowers during camp, but Clelin Ferrell is still nursing an injury and Kyler Fackrell is on the IR list. Fackrell is the real blow here, as he was slated to be the team’s first rotational edge rusher.
With Fackrell done for the year and Clelin remaining out of practice while he heals, the door is wide open for Jordan Jenkins. The best part? Each of his 62 starts came in a 3-4 scheme as an outside linebacker, which is what Las Vegas’ 3-4 defense needs more than anything after Fackrell’s trip to IR.
Jenkins couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity with a new team. Now, he just has to show Patrick Graham why the Jets were so high on him when he entered the league.