Expectations are high for the Raiders front seven in 2024, but the unit will be shorthanded to begin the year and potentially well into the season. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
As a result, he will miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Koonce suffered a knee injury in practice this week, but his absence could stretch far beyond September. ESPN’s Paul Guiterrez reports the ailment could be season-ending.
Losing Koonce for any extended stretch would mark a notable blow to Vegas’ pass rush. Maxx Crosby remains atop the depth chart, and the three-time Pro Bowler will be counted on to deliver another impactful campaign this year. Koonce was set to operate as the other starter at the defensive end spot, however, after he set a number of career highs in 2023. The 26-year-old saw a major uptick in usage last season, logging a 44 percent snap share and making 11 starts (after exclusively playing in a rotational capacity during his first two campaigns).
Koonce produced eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits and 23 pressures in 2023, setting the stage for another strong year to conclude his rookie contract. The former third-rounder was reported in July to be on the Raiders’ extension radar, and a second straight year with strong production would have helped his value considerably. Now, though, attention will turn to recovery with team and player hoping he will able to return at some point in the season.
Vegas selected Tyree Wilson seventh overall last year with the hopes of using him in a first-team role opposite Crosby. Things did not go according to plan, though, as Wilson recorded just 3.5 sacks and logged a rotational workload. With Koonce out of the fold for the time being, the Texas Tech alum could be in line for a larger role than anticipated to start the 2024 season.
In a corresponding move, the Raiders promoted Charles Snowden from the practice squad to the active roster. The 26-year-old has only made two regular-season appearances in his career; they came with the Bears in 2021. Snowden will be a candidate for a depth role, as will 2023 fourth-rounder Janarius Robinson. Vegas’ campaign begins on Sunday against the Chargers, but Koonce’s recovery timeline will prove to be a key big-picture storyline for the team.
