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Losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 wasn’t the only loss the Las Vegas Raiders suffered. Safety Marcus Epps left the game early due to an injury and now the team has more clarity.
According to a September 23 X post from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Epps suffered a torn ACL, which means he’ll be out for the year.
Epps joined the team last year and quickly became a leader. He’s been a team captain in back-to-back seasons and started all 17 games for the Raiders in 2023. He is on an expiring contract so this is a brutal update for him as he was looking for another payday.
This is a similar situation to defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who is also done for the season and on an expiring contract. This isn’t just bad news for Epps as now the Raiders are losing a team captain after the most embarrassing loss in years.
Epps was also the most experienced starter in the Raiders’ defensive backfield. While he hasn’t made many plays this season and still hasn’t caught an interception since joining the team, he was a leader and a reliable player. The Raiders may need to bring in an experienced safety now that Epps won’t be playing this year.
How Will Raiders Replace Marcus Epps?
The Raiders have prepared for a situation like this as they have solid safety depth. Isaiah Pola-Mao has shown a lot of promise when given a chance to play and he’s the logical next man up. The team also has Chris Smith II and Thomas Harper on the active roster. The problem is that all of them are 25 or younger and have limited game experience.
The Raiders would be wise to bring in an experienced safety from free agency. Duron Harmon would make a lot of sense. He played in this same defense under Patrick Graham in 2022 and was a team captain. He’s 33 now but he’s durable and has missed only a few games in his career.
If the Raiders want to bring in an outside voice Micah Hyde could make sense. Similar to Harmon, he’s 33, but he’s a two-time All-Pro. That said, he may not be interested in playing anymore after a string of injuries.
Former first-round pick Keanu Neal could also be an option.
Is Raiders Defense in Trouble?
The Raiders have now lost two key starters on defense for the season in Koonce and Epps. That’s not to mention that Maxx Crosby is dealing with a high ankle sprain. This Raiders defense had little margin for error and they’re already losing key players.
The team just gave up 36 points to the Panthers in Week 3 – a team that only had 13 combined points through the first two games. It’s starting to look like the Raiders defense isn’t going to be as good as expected. The team is allowing the third-most yards in the NFL (378.7 per game) and the fifth-most points (27.0 per game). The only way Las Vegas was going to have success this season is if the defense was elite and that hasn’t been the case so far. Unless something changes quickly, the Raiders will lose a lot of games this season.
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