The Las Vegas Raiders were having a very clean offseason, but were dealt some serious injuries just before the season. First, running back Ashton Jeanty hurt his ankle in practice.
It remains to be seen if he’ll play in the opener, but he wasn’t placed on Injured Reserve to start the year. Unfortunately, another player wasn’t so lucky.
During the final preseason game against the Houston Texans, rookie defensive end Keyron Crawford had to be carted to the locker room after suffering an ankle injury. The Raiders were mum on his status, but it looks like the worst-case scenario.
The team announced that Crawford is heading to the Injured Reserve. That wasn’t a surprise, as it stood to reason he would have to miss at least four games. However, the Raiders didn’t put a return designation on him, so that means he’s out for the entire season.
This is just a devastating blow for Crawford and the Raiders. He was an early third-round pick in this year’s draft. The hope was that he could provide depth as a pass rusher. He had a relatively quiet training camp, but the team was still high on what he could do. Crawford also misses out on a year of development as he rehabs his ankle.
What This Means for Raiders
Crawford may not have been a major impact player for the Raiders, but this is still really bad news. The team is already light on pass rushing talent.
The only proven pass rusher on the team is Maxx Crosby. Malcolm Koonce only had 4.5 sacks in 17 games last season, and Kwity Paye is known as more of a run defender.
With Crawford gone for the year, the Raiders need to add another pass rusher. Fortunately, a ton of them just became available. The Raiders have No. 1 priority on the waiver wire, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they claim the top pass rusher who was waived at the deadline.
Can Raiders Defense Be Effective?
The Raiders defense does have some good pieces this season. The defensive line is a major concern, but it helps to have an All-Pro like Crosby to work with.
The other two levels of the defense are looking stronger. The linebacker duo of Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker could be one of the best in the NFL if they stay healthy.
The secondary is filled with exciting young talent. Even if the young players take some lumps, Jeremy Chinn, Eric Stokes and Taron Johnson are solid veterans. Now, this defense will probably take some time to get going.
There’s a new defensive coordinator in Rob Leonard, and there’s just so much youth in the secondary. Regardless, the Raiders have to feel good about what they’re building. There are good veterans and promising young players. There are some injury risks on the defense, especially with Dean, but the talent is there. With the offense likely to struggle this season, it would certainly help a lot if the defense can at least be average this year.
Raiders Make Devastating Announcement on Exciting Rookie