The Las Vegas Raiders have stocked up on talent on defense this offseason, adding superstar defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The plan is to lean on the defense to help them win games this season as they continue to figure out the quarterback position.
The Raiders are pretty loaded on the defensive line, but they could use more depth at EDGE rusher. Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce are the starters and the expectation is that Tyree Wilson will play both EDGE and on the interior defensive line. But they could use another viable pass-rusher to back up Crosby.
In a recent article by Matt Bowen of ESPN, he named the best fits for the top available free agents. One player that Bowen listed was Emmanuel Ogbah, an EDGE rusher who has spent time with the Browns and Dolphins. Here is why Bowen believes he would make sense for Las Vegas:
Maxx Crosby is a blue-chip player, and I see Malcolm Koonce as an ascending talent. That gives the Raiders two productive edge defenders to pair with newly signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. That said, there’s still room for a rotational pass-rusher, which opens the door for Ogbah. He logged five sacks in Miami last season, and he has totaled 42 over his eight seasons in the league. You can never have too many pass-rushers when you play in the same division as Patrick Mahomes.
One reason Ogbah would fit well in Las Vegas is that he is still one of the better run defenders at the defensive end position. Even if he’s not posting big sack numbers, he can contribute on early downs, setting the edge.
If the Raiders want to continue improving their defensive front, adding a player like Ogbah seems like a no-brainer. It wouldn’t cost much to acquire him, and he would give them more depth at a critical position. Expect the Raiders to show some interest in a veteran EDGE defender this offseason.
