Raiders pushed to sign ex-Lions team captain pass rusher

One of the Las Vegas Raiders' biggest strengths in 2024 is the defensive line. Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce form a formidable defensive end duo while former first-round pick Tyree Wilson provides some depth.

However, the Raiders are relying on Wilson to live up to his draft status, which isn't a guarantee. If they don't like what they're seeing from the former No. 7 pick in training camp, they could consider looking to free agency to improve the depth.

Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network believes that the Raiders should consider signing former Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris.

"Charles Harris saw his snap count for the Lions plummet last year and was injured in 2022," Robinson wrote. "However, he posted seven sacks and ranked 20th in pass-rush win rate among edge rushers as recently as 2021.

"The Raiders might actually feel comfortable giving Crosby a breather once in a while with a veteran like Harris around."

Harris isn't a huge needle mover on the defensive line. He's only had more than 3.0 sacks in a season once and has gone back-to-back years with fewer than 2.0. That said, he was a team captain for the Lions and brings strong leadership skills.

He could also be a factor in the run game. Crosby never comes off the field and Koonce is an ascending player so the Raiders don't need many snaps from their depth pieces. Harris could be a player who comes in on obvious rushing downs while helping give Koonce and Crosby some time off the field.

If the Raiders don't like Harris, there are still notable defensive linemen like Emmanuel Ogbah, Carlos Dunlap, Yannick Ngakoue and Carl Lawson still available. Those are some very good options if Las Vegas is hoping to upgrade their defensive line depth. If Wilson starts playing like a first-round pick, then the Raiders won't even need t think about this being an issue.