Unfortunate news broke from Las Vegas on Friday morning, as Antonio Pierce confirmed rumors that fourth-year edge rusher Malcolm Koonce suffered an injury in practice on Thursday.
While the extent of his injury is currently unknown, we know that it was a non-contact knee injury, which is typically the scarier mechanism, and he is out for Sunday’s contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The fear is that there is damage to the ligaments in his knee and that Koonce will miss extended time, and potentially the whole season depending on the severity.
Tashan Reed of The Athletic offered a promising alternative to the news:
The #Raiders wanted to play it safe with Koonce this week. He began experiencing discomfort in his knee during practice Thursday. Worth noting the turf at SoFi is notorious.
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) September 6, 2024
Tyree Wilson and Janarius Robinson will be tasked with filling the void against the Chargers. https://t.co/KFpoIdJp6b
Based on the short length of his press conference and the disappointment in his voice, it seemed like Antonio Pierce either received or is expecting to receive bad news.
With Koonce out, it makes the jobs of Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins all that more important. The team will also need Janarius Robinson or Tyree Wilson to step up and produce against a solid duo of Chargers tackles.
This is disappointing for the team, but also for Koonce himself. He burst onto the scene late last season and became one of the premier pass rushers in the league late last year.
This is also a contract year for him and an injury, no matter how severe, may dampen his chances of signing the contract that he deserves.
All hope is not lost, as an official diagnosis has not been released. But what a gut-wrenching blow to a fan and locker room favorite just days before the opener.
Let’s hope the injury is nothing serious and the team can play hard and earn a victory in his honor on Sunday.