The Raiders were dealt a major blow during Sunday’s loss. Safety Marcus Epps suffered an ACL tear, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
Epps was part of the Raiders’ efforts to rebuild in the secondary last offseason. He inked a two-year deal as a free agent worth $12MM. That pact included $8MM in guarantees, and it proved to be a worthwhile investment from the team’s perspective last year. The 28-year served as a full-time starter, collecting 66 tackles and three pass breakups. Similar play was expected of him in 2024, but his attention will turn to recovery.
As Pelissero notes, Epps’ knee is otherwise intact, which is a positive sign regarding his long-term outlook. For the time being, though, the Raiders will be shorthanded at the safety spot. The Wyoming product logged more than 1,000 defensive snaps for the second straight year in 2023, and replacing him will be a tall order for Las Vegas. The team ranks 28th in scoring defense through three games, including poor numbers against the pass (226 yards per game), and those figures could worsen in Epps’ absence.
The former Viking and Eagle did not hold down a full-time starting role in Philadelphia until his final year with the team. Epps did not deliver strong coverage statistics that season, but his leadership and communication made him an attractive option for the Raiders to pair with Tre’von Moehrig. The latter had his best season to date in 2023, but he will close out the current campaign with a new safety partner. The likes of Isaiah Pola-Mao, Amari Burney, Christopher Smith and Trey Taylor are options to take on an increased defensive role.
The news of Epps’ injury comes not long after it was learned starting defensive end Malcolm Koonce is also out for the year. Those absences will leave the Raiders without a pair of impactful defenders moving forward as they look to improve from a 1-2 start. With nearly $28MM in cap space, a move aimed at adding safety depth to help replace Epps would be feasible from a financial standpoint.
For the former sixth-rounder, this injury will no doubt impact his free agent value. Epps will look to rehab in time for the start of the 2025 campaign, but his market will not be as strong as it would have been had he remained healthy and productive for Vegas.