If the Raiders are going to improve on defense this season, they are going to need several young players to step up. One of those players is Malcolm Koonce, who is slated to be the No. 3 EDGE rusher for the Raiders.
Koonce played just 48 defensive snaps last season, but he did total two sacks. Whenever he played, he was impactful and the Raiders need more of that from him this season.
In a recent article by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, he named ten preseason stars who deserve more playing time in the regular season. That list included Koonce, who looked much improved in Year 2. Here is what Renner had to say about the former third-round pick:
“There’s obviously a log jam in front of Koonce to serious playing time, with Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby unlikely to be coming off the field much. That being said, there shouldn’t be a third down or obvious passing situation where Koonce isn’t on the field.
He was that good off the edge this preseason, tallying seven pressures on 45 pass-rushing snaps. His violent hands and bend are good starting points for a pass-rusher.”
Koonce is expected to be the third pass rusher for the Raiders this season and they will need him. Patrick Graham loves to rate pass rushers, so expect Koonce to see the field a lot in Year 2.
