It’s no secret that the Raiders didn’t get enough from their pass-rush during the 2020 season. While there were games the unit played well, they fell off in the second half of the season in a major way. Against teams like the Colts, Chargers and Dolphins, they rarely were able to create pressure, let alone record a sack.
Entering the offseason, it might just be the biggest need on the entire roster. The team does have a few solid building blocks in Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell, but they need significant upgrades all across the defensive line.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders had the sixth-worst pass rush in the NFL last season. In a recent article, they discussed the team’s pass-rushing woes in detail. Here is a snippet of their thoughts on the lackluster group:
“The (Raiders) 28.0% team pressure rate ranked 24th in the NFL over the course of the regular season. Maxx Crosby took a step back after bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2019 with a double-digit sack total and a 67.3 pass-rushing grade, and free-agent acquisition Maliek Collins generated just 14 pressures on 304 pass-rushing snaps (4.6%) in his first year in Las Vegas. To make matters worse, their most promising pass rusher — Maurice Hurst and his 78.5 pass-rushing grade — was affected by injury in his third season.”
The Raiders certainly need to add another quality edge rusher, but the hope is that one of Takk McKinnley or Vic Beasley can win that job. The biggest problem is at defensive tackle as Collins and Hurst just weren’t good enough this season. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team used the No. 17 pick an interior defensive lineman.
Expect the Raiders to use a ton of resources (once again) this offseason upgrading their defensive line talent. They just can’t win with their current lack of pass rush.
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