Updated March 13, 2026, 5:28 p.m. PT
The Las Vegas Raiders focused heavily on defense in free agency, overhauling much of it from last year. They may look to fill out the depth chart a bit more before the draft, but most likely the starters won’t change. Let’s take a look at what that defense looks like right now.
DEFNTJonah LauluJJ PeguesBrodric MartinDEAdam ButlerTonka HemingwayTreven Ma’aeDEKwity PayeThomas BookerOLBMaxx CrosbyTyree WilsonJahfari HarveyOLBMalcolm KoonceCharles SnowdenLBQuay WalkerTommy EichenbergJamin DavisLBNakobi DeanCody LindenbergBrennan JacksonCBDarien PorterKyu Blu KellyCBEric StokesDecamerion RichardsonSCBTaron JohnsonChigozie AnusiemSSJeremy ChinnTristin McCollumFSIsaiah Pola-MaoTerrell Edmunds
This is a new scheme from what the Raiders ran last year, so they will have to attempt to fit many of their current players into this new scheme. That makes for some uncertainty about where they thing some guys fit best. Mostly that applies to the defensive line and edge rushers.
They added Kwity Paye when they thought Maxx Crosby was gone. Now they must co-exist. Hence why Paye — who is better vs the run than the pass — is playing inside here. And Laulu, despite not being a great fit at nose tackle, is put there just to get the best five on the line. The closest to an ideal nose tackle the Raiders have is JJ Pegues, while they have a glut of 3-tech DTs which typically translate to 5-tech DE in a 3-4.
Got a couple new faces on special teams too.
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