The bulk of the coverage surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders' defensive tackles this offseason has been spent worrying about Christian Wilkins and his injury status. Right now, he is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, so someone else will have to step up at the position.
Adam Butler is the obvious answer, a seven-year NFL veteran who is one of the most underrated interior defenders in the league. He signed a three-year deal with the team this offseason, so the expectation is that he'll step up into the star role.
However, the team needs more than one player to perform at that position. Las Vegas drafted two young defensive tackles this offseason and added Leki Fotu in free agency, but it may be an under-the-radar returner that makes the biggest impact.
Maxx Crosby raving about Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu
On Wednesday, star defensive end Maxx Crosby spoke to the media after the team's first training camp practice. He shouted out second-year player Jonah Laulu, a Las Vegas native, as a potential breakout player in the defensive line room.
"You know, Jonah is a special talent," Crosby said. "Dude can play. He don't even know it yet, you know what I mean? But he's going to be a hell of a player."
Laulu was a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, but he was waived during the final roster cutdowns. Las Vegas swooped in the next day, claiming him off waivers, and he played a pivotal role for the Raiders last season.
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He played in all 17 games for the Silver and Black and started seven of them. In a 43% snap share, he recorded 35 tackles, including three for a loss, as well as 1.0 sacks, two quarterback hits and three passes defended.
Pro Football Focus did not grade him very well, but he flashed plenty of times for the Raiders during a brutal 2024 campaign. With another offseason under the tutelage of defensive line coach Rob Leonard and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, he should only improve this season.
Players like Butler, Fotu, Zachary Carter, and rookies Tonka Hemingway and J.J. Pegues will all be critical to filling the void left by Wilkins in his absence. However, Laulu already looks like the frontrunner to potentially take the bulk of the reps at defensive tackle alongside Butler.