The Las Vegas Raiders drafted defensive end Malcolm Koonce in the third round of the 2021 draft, with the expectation that he'd come in and bolster their defensive line even more. Their defensive line is one of the stronger aspects of their team, led by Maxx Crosby.
He didn't see much playing time as a rookie, but he worked hard in that year's off-season to make the rotation of defensive linemen, even if he wasn't starting yet. He played in all 17 games during his sophomore season, but made little statistical impact.
However, the progress was beginning to show, and he was improving little by little. This culminated in his 2023 season, where he had career-highs across the board. Two seasons ago, he had 43 total tackles to go along with eight sacks and three forced fumbles, as well as five tackles for loss of yards.
He was finally starting to piece it all together, and he was heading into 2024 with plenty of momentum. It was the last year of his rookie contract, and he was prepared to show the Raiders why they should extend him and continue playing in the Silver and Black.
Unfortunately for Koonce and the Raiders, he suffered an injury before the season even began that took him out for the entire year. This would be a sign for things to come, as not only was Koonce injured, but their off-season acquisition of Christian Wilkins barely played in the regular season, and even Crosby suffered from injuries as well.
With the Raiders' new regime coming in and having no attachment to Koonce, it was a possibility that he had played his last snap for the Raiders. However, they knew that if it wasn't for last year's injury, he would've continued to ascend, so they gave him a one-year contract to prove to them that he can bounce back from his injury and return to form.
In 2025, the Raiders' defensive line looks much better, as long as everyone can stay healthy. This team was rejuvenated by all the changes they made across their roster, and if their defensive line can stay healthy, then they'll exceed a lot of people's expectations for them next season.
If Koonce can build off his 2023 campaign and stay healthy, he's sure to get another contract extension and be a core piece of this Raiders defense for years to come.
