The Las Vegas Raiders were displeased with the state of their defensive tackle depth in August. That’s when general manager John Spytek made the decision to trade cornerback Jakorian Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for DT Thomas Booker IV. That decision paid immediate dividends, as Booker was outstanding in Sunday’s 20-13 Week 1 victory over the New England Patriots.
Booker was really effective. In fact, he’s drawing some national attention. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger recently highlighted a handful of Booker plays versus the Patriots via his social media.
Booker played 59% of Pete Carroll’s defensive snaps in Week 1, per Football Guys. That made him the most common partner for Adam Butler. Booker has essentially already overtaken Jonah Laulu as a starter in base defense.
Booker was credited with three total tackles and a pass deflection. The Patriots’ offensive line struggled to deal with him as a pass rusher. Pro Football Focus credited Booker with five quarterback pressures. His pass-rushing grade was a stellar 68.7, and his run-stopping score was an acceptable 63.5.
Booker was a difference-maker for Coach Carroll and Patrick Graham in Week 1. You love to see it. The decision to acquire Booker via a rare player-for-player trade with the Eagles paid immediate benefits.