Getty Jon Gruden & Mike Mayock of the Las Vegas Raiders.
New Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley made it clear when he was hired: the team needs to improve the defensive line. They’ve attempted to in free agency and in the draft but they have yet to find a consistent impact player to get after the quarterback. Maxx Crosby has shown real promise but he can only do so much on his own. The Raiders clearly need an elite pass rusher if the defense is going to show improvement in 2021.
Luckily, there could be some strong options available to them. J.J. Watt is likely past his prime but he’s still capable of being a disruptive force and is an excellent leader. He’s exactly the type of player the Raiders need. He’s currently sitting in free agency but Las Vegas hasn’t really been mentioned as a possibility until now. According to longtime NFL insider John Clayton, the Raiders could be a dark horse destination.
.@JohnClaytonNFL says JJ Watt won’t be coming to Pittsburgh. Tennessee, Green Bay, and Buffalo are the 3 teams. Raiders as a dark horse.
Jon Gruden loves veteran players who bring leadership. Though Watt only has nine sacks over the last two seasons, he’d bring a lot to the term in terms of leadership. Plus, he’s still a very capable player when he can stay healthy. If Watt has any interest in moving to Las Vegas, the Raiders should consider it.
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Would Watt Actually Consider the Raiders?
It’s obvious why the Raiders would want Watt. Gruden has been open about the fact that the team needs “alphas.” Watt is certainly an alpha and could help whip that defense into shape. However, it’s hard to see why he’d want to join the team.
Watt is from Wisconsin so there isn’t much of a reason to believe he’d find Las Vegas all that appealing. Similar to Texas, there’s no state income tax in Nevada. Perhaps he likes the idea of saving some of the tax money. That said, he probably wants to compete for a Super Bowl soon. Clayton mentioned the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills as possible fits. All three of those teams were in the playoffs last season while the Raiders haven’t been to the playoffs in four years. Las Vegas doesn’t have a bad team right now and it’s very possible they’re back in the playoffs next season but Watt may want to go to a more stable situation.
Don’t Sleep on Yannick Ngakoue
If Watt doesn’t want to come to the Raiders, that doesn’t mean they won’t have options. One interesting player to keep an eye on is Yannick Ngakoue. The team was reportedly interested in trading for him last offseason. He’s expected to hit free agency this offseason and the Raiders wouldn’t need to trade anything away to sign him.
Ngakoue isn’t the most dynamic pass rusher in the world but he’s very consistent. He’s never had less than eight sacks in a season throughout his five-year career. He’s also only missed two games and is very durable. The Raiders could really use some consistency and durability on their defensive line. While Ngakoue appears to have a ceiling, his floor is also very high.
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