Making the quarterback uncomfortable is a central tenet of a great defense. So, of course, the Las Vegas Raiders have struggled in this realm for the last few campaigns. But with all of the investments made up front this offseason, the group is now out of excuses ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Back in 2023, the Raiders’ pass rush came alive under Antonio Pierce, with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce leading the charge. Rob Leonard, their position coach at the time, is now the defensive coordinator. Everything is set up for them to succeed, and they simply have to in the upcoming year.
Without a strong pass rush, Las Vegas’ young secondary will be hung out to dry, and that’s not exactly a recipe for success. So, for the first time since that 2023 season, the Raiders need to have at least a league-average number of pressures and sack attempts after being among the worst in 2025.
Should they fail to do so once again, then John Spytek’s investments will have all been for naught.
Raiders invested a ton in their defensive end room this offseason
Crosby, of course, is one of the highest-paid defensive ends in the NFL, and Spytek was the one who inked him to what at the time was a record-breaking deal. And although he dealt with injuries last year, Crosby still had one of his least successful seasons rushing the passer in his career in 2025.
In a year when Crosby has a $35.8 million salary cap hit, which is almost 12% of the Raiders' money allocation in 2026, the star defender needs to have more than the 7.5 and 10.0 sacks he contributed over the last two years. Nobody is denying Crosby's greatness, but return on investment matters.
A huge part of Crosby living up to his billing anymore is staying healthy, and it should be easier for him to do so with more legitimate help beside him. That way, he won't have to play as many snaps, nor get brutalized and double- or triple-teamed on every play, as he has in the past few years with no help.
Koonce re-signed this offseason to a one-year, $11 million deal, a sizeable contract for a player who had just 4.5 sacks a season ago. But Koonce was still fresh off an ACL tear last year, and now, even further removed from the injury, he should find another level at which to produce.
Now serving as effectively the No. 3 player in the edge rusher rotation, Koonce should be fresh every time he steps into the game and ready to turn one-on-one or favorable matchups into real pressure and sacks. If he can't get that done, then Las Vegas' defensive front will be in trouble.
Most teams don't have multiple defensive ends making over $10 million annually, but the Raiders do. In addition to Crosby and Koonce, Spytek brought in Kwity Paye this offseason, who will cost just over $9 million against the cap this year but up to $48 million over the next three seasons.
Paye is new to the Silver and Black, so fans don't quite know what to expect. What they do know, however, is that someone making roughly $16 million per year better be a big-time contributor up front. And Paye needs to get after the quarterback as he did in 2023 and 2024, not 2025.
Heck, even taking Keyron Crawford in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft was premier capital to spend on an edge rusher, and paying Cian Slone $267,500 in guaranteed money as an undrafted free agent wasn't nothing either. The Raiders knew they needed pass rush help, and spent appropriately.
Unfortunately, Crawford won't play this season after an injury he suffered in the preseason finale, and Slone's prospects this year are a bit murky, as he will be on the practice squad, at least for the time being. But it's clear that Spytek knew Las Vegas had to get after the quarterback more in 2026.
Raiders' disproportionate investments in defensive ends must pay off
Of the $301.2 million that the Raiders are allowed to spend this season, roughly 19.02% of that is being diverted toward the defensive end room. That $57,298,916 number is over double what Las Vegas is paying any other single room; they are relying on this unit to contribute in a big way.
Not to mention, this is now one of the most experienced units on the roster. The average age in the room is 28.0 years old, which is the third-oldest in the building. Their 22 combined seasons of experience are tied for the most on the Raiders as well.
So, this unit isn't full of young guns that need to develop; it's full of established pros. This group wasn't thrown together at the last minute or patched up with scraps and expendable players; Spytek spent big on them and is counting on them to produce in a major way, unlike in seasons past.
Between Crosby, Koonce and Paye, the Raiders should have a formidable pass rush. Last year, the team was one of the worst in the league, as without an 8-sack performance against the Kansas City Chiefs' backups in Week 18, Las Vegas would have finished third-to-last in team sacks in 2025.
But after an offseason full of investing in the position, the Silver & Black are simply out of excuses. They have to get in the backfield and bring down the quarterback with force throughout the campaign. If they can't get home, then the Raiders wasted their money again this spring.
And their entire defense, and team at large, will suffer because of it.
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