Site gives Las Vegas a ‘B’ for its signings
The Las Vegas Raiders’ performance in free agency has drawn some scrutiny from the fanbase due to the team’s lack of big moves. However, Pro Football Focus liked what the Raiders did during the first week of free agency, giving the club a ‘B’ for its signings.
PFF highlighted five Las Vegas’ signings — Raheem Mostert, Eric Stokes, Elandon Roberts, Malcolm Koonce and Jeremy Chinn — with the Koonce deal getting a “good” grade while the other four were labeled “average”. Here’s what the site had to say about the pass-rusher.
Koonce could’ve cashed in big time this offseason had he not torn his ACL in August, forcing him to miss all of 2024. Instead, he re-signs with the Raiders on a one-year, prove-it deal. Koonce was one of the 25 most valuable edge defenders in 2023, according to PFF’s WAR metric, and was excellent across the second half of that season. From Week 10 on, his 36 pressures tied for eighth among edge defenders.
PFF also weighed in on two of the team’s other big signings: Chinn and Roberts.
Chinn ranked sixth among safeties in tackles resulting in a defensive stop (35) this past season. He’s at his best close to the line of scrimmage. He earned a 70.3 PFF overall grade and a 73.9 PFF coverage grade when lined up in the box, compared to a 61.0 PFF overall grade and a 60.2 PFF coverage grade at free safety.
Roberts enjoyed the two best seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, largely thanks to being used as a two-down linebacker. That’s the part of the job that departing Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane, whom he will likely replace, was best at, so expect similar results here
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- Target cornerback and running back: This week’s mailbag column weighs in on the Raiders’ free agency performance and what the team should do moving forward.
- Koonce “excited” to play for Carroll: “Pete Carroll, he’s a legend of a coach, so who doesn’t want to be around him?” Koonce said via Silver and Black Pride. “I’m extremely excited [to play for Carroll]. Just remember being a kid in high school, watching him coach. So, it’s kind of surreal to be around him and say that that’s my coach too, so definitely excited.”
- Amari Cooper return?: “The Raiders are rebuilding their offense, beginning with a trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith,” Bleacher Report’s Paul Kasabain wrote. “They have more work to do to fix a team that finished fourth-last in scoring in 2024. Cooper could be an answer.”
- Ashton Jeanty heads to Vegas in mock draft: “The Raiders have their new quarterback in Geno Smith, and now they have perhaps the most dynamic offensive player in the class in Ashton Jeanty,” CBS Sports’ Kyle Stackpole wrote.