Las Vegas Raiders still need help within the interior defensive line
By Preston Seyl
The Las Vegas Raiders have revamped the roster in a big way this offseason, but they still need some help along the interior of the defensive line.
With Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackles Bilal Nichols and Jonathan Hankins just coming off the PUP list, they have missed valuable reps in this new defense, so they will be playing catch-up. The Raiders should have made more of an effort to add to the room with players like Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, or even Ndamukong Suh to the defensive interior.
Arden Key would’ve been a good investment for insurance and depth behind the current players on the roster, and is a former draft pick of the franchise.
More depth and run-stuffing interior players would pay dividends to the pass rush duo of star Maxx Crosby Crosby and former All-Pro Chandler Jones being able to pin their ears back and get after the QB. Knowing the interior line will be the run stuffers clogging gaps and eating double teams places the pass rush duo in a great position to get after the quarterback.
Carlos Dunlap also would have also been a great addition to get after the quarterback in certain situations while adding depth and insurance if Crosby or Chandler Jones has an injury.
The Las Vegas Raiders would also have benefitted from looking at Trey Flowers and Jadeveon Clowney as players who could have added more depth and more bodies. This would have created an advantageous situation for Patrick Graham to create more unique disguises with all the talent at his disposal.
The addition of Chandler Jones is a high-profile signing and will pair perfectly with Crosby but the lack of depth behind the duo shouldn’t be ignored. With the lack of aggressiveness in addressing the interior defensive line could come back to haunt them leading them into having to address it next season to fix leaky holes.