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The Las Vegas Raiders are adding some serious size to their defensive line. According to a December 19 X post from Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, defensive tackle Marquan McCall is signing with the team.
McCall came into the NFL last season as an undrafted free agent signing of the Carolina Panthers. He ended up playing in 16 games for the team and compiled 15 combined tackles. He wasn’t able to make the roster this season and hasn’t played a game in 2023.
McCall is massive and is listed at 379 pounds. He’s certainly the type of player who can clog up the middle of the defensive line and slow down the run. The Raiders defense has been much improved this season but the run defense hasn’t been great. The 124.9 yards a game they’re allowing on the ground is 23rd in the NFL. McCall is a player who could help with the run defense if he’s able to get on the field.
Patrick Graham Addresses Tyree Wilson’s Move Inside
The Raiders drafted Tyree Wilson with the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to have him play defensive end. However, he struggled mightily at the position all season. While the Raiders still play him on the outside, they’ve been moving him to the inside more where he’s been playing well.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham spoke about the change and what he’s seeing from Wilson.
“I would say for Tyree, anytime you can have flexibility in the front, that’s a positive,” Graham said during his December 19 media availability. “They can’t get a beat on where you’re lining up, who they’re studying in terms of going into the game. And I think the thing for Tyree is because of his skill set in terms of his physical makeup, he has length, he’s a strong player, can play with good leverage; it allows for us to move him around and maybe take advantage of his quickness, his length on certain guys, so that’s always a positive.
“And like I’ve said before, I think it’s always good with those young edge rushers. Again, not every case, but I think in a lot of cases I’ve been involved with it’s always good to move them down there early, so they understand how to use their hands. And then it’s just going to transfer to them being better players on the outside.”
With the emergence of defensive end Malcolm Koonce, having Wilson on the inside makes a lot of sense if he keeps playing well. The biggest issue with Wilson has been his speed off the edge but his initial burst is less important if he’s playing defensive tackle.
Patrick Graham Talks Tyree Wilson’s Confidence
It hasn’t been a great rookie season for Tyree Wilson as he only has 2.5 sacks. He’s showing flashes that he could be an impact player but there’s clearly a lot of work to do this offseason.
Patrick Graham believes that Wilson is gaining confidence and that will only help his game.
“Part of confidence starts with getting reps, I think. Just get repetition,” Graham said. “We talk about it all the time, self-confidence over self-esteem. Self-esteem, a lot of time is the talk, self-confidence comes from the preparation you put in, the work you put in. So, he’s constantly getting better at practice.”
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