The Las Vegas Raiders have just resigned Zach Carter. Before they waived him, he played with the Cincinnati Bengals for the first three years of his career. The Raiders then picked him up off of waivers, where he played eight games for them.
Last year, he had 22 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one pass defended. Most of those stats coming from his time in the Silver and Black. The Raiders needed depth at defensive tackle, and Carter showed enough to warrant being brought back on the team.
Carter projects to be a starter next season and could be very productive on their defensive line. The details of his new contract are still unclear, but after spending four years in the league and never figuring out a secure place on the defense, he has a chance to make Las Vegas his home.
This, alongside them resigning Malcolm Koonce, means they are confident in the personnel they have and may even indicate which direction they may go in the draft. The Raiders have made many moves in free agency to shore up their defense, and they can only hope they remain healthy next season.
Last free agency, they signed Christian Wilkins to a lucrative deal, and he wasn't able to remain healthy. This free agency they gave Maxx Crosby a big payday, and if everyone stays healthy, this should result in a ferocious pass rush.
With this many moves done to bolster their defense, their high draft pick could go toward finding a wide receiver for newly acquired quarterback Geno Smith. Opposed to using that draft pick to draft a defensive stud to secure their defense as a top unit across the NFL.
This move, alongside others such as signing Jeremy Chinn or Elandon Roberts, makes the Raiders gameplan clear on the defensive side of the ball. They want to inject a new identity into this franchise by signing defenders who aren't afraid to get after the ball and excel at tackling.
They want to be an aggressive defense headlined by Crosby, who will produce sacks all on his own but will also make opportunities for others. Hopefully, these moves result in a playoff appearance for Las Vegas next season.
