The Las Vegas Raiders had several problems heading into this offseason after a brutal four-win campaign during the 2024 NFL season. One position that they were rather solid at, however, was edge rusher.
Maxx Crosby is obviously one of the league's best, and he was rewarded with a historic three-year, $106.5 million extension this offseason. The new regime also re-signed Malcolm Koonce to a one-year "prove it" deal, and there is still hope for former No. 7 overall pick Tyree Wilson.
End-of-roster players like Charles Snowden and Andre Carter II are still hanging around as well. But the Raiders may have found a gem in the undrafted free agent market when they signed Minnesota edge rusher Jah Joyner.
UDFA defensive end Jah Joyner making noise at Raiders training camp
Joyner going undrafted shocked plenty of people, as most felt that he was a surefire Day 3 pick. However, the 6-foot-4, 262-pound defensive end became a priority signing for Las Vegas, and The Athletic's Tashan Reed reported that Joyner is already turning heads at training camp.
"Another standout was undrafted free agent Jah Joyner," Reed wrote. "He beat starting right tackle DJ Glaze on an outside move and got backup offensive tackle Parker Clements with another outside move later on."
While it is difficult to read too much into a handful of reps, it seems like the young player is generally having success against a solid Raiders offensive line. Beating Glaze, who started for the team last season, is not a mere accident and shows what Joyner is capable of.
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With Wilson reportedly rotating between the interior and the edge, this could open up an opportunity for Joyner to sneak onto the roster. Crosby will play nearly every snap for the Silver and Black, but Koonce will need to be spelled at times, and that is where Joyner could step in.
At Minnesota, he recorded 12.0 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in his final two seasons, and he also forced four fumbles and batted down eight passes. This kind of production in the Big Ten should not go unnoticed, and thankfully, the Raiders' new regime recognized his prowess.
Joyner still has an uphill battle making the roster as an undrafted free agent, but it seems like a path is now clearing for him. If he can keep stacking days at training camp in Las Vegas, perhaps he could be the biggest steal on the undrafted free agent market in this class.