Crosby and Koonce Finish Season as Top Pass-Rushing Duo

For the last five seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders have lined up for veteran Maxx Crosby, maybe the best defensive end in the National Football League.

The Raiders made more than a few attempts to find a defensive end to complement Crosby, as having a dependable player opposite Crosby would naturally help their defense improve. On the other end of Crosby, however, had been a carousel of players with the potential to fill in nicely opposite of Crosby that either never panned out or only played for the Raiders for a short time.

The defensive end spot opposite Crosby was the target of many first-round draft selections by the Raiders. Nevertheless, the addition of rookie defensive end Tyree Wilson to the interior defensive line and the solidification of the job by former third-round draft pick Malcolm Koonce ultimately contributed to the Raiders’ defense reaching new heights.

Crosby totaled 90 tackles and nearly 15 sacks this season, both of which are career highs. His 14.5 sacks ranked sixth in the National Football League. Koonce had a career season totaling 40 tackles and eight sacks, giving the Raiders over 20 sacks between their top two defensive ends. For the Raiders to register that much production from Crosby and Koonce while allowing their rookie defensive end, Wilson, to gain valuable experience on the interior line simultaneously made this a productive season for Koonce.

Should they continue on the same trajectory, this could be a pivotal season in the defense’s growth. It is no coincidence that the Raiders’ defense improved as much as it did once they found a defensive end to complement Crosby. While many other additions on the defense played a part in the defense’s turnaround, few of those additions had as much impact on the defense as the emergence of Koonce.

Koonce had to demonstrate to Las Vegas that he had grown into a valuable player when he joined the team this past season. He more than exceeded that goal as he and Crosby combined for 146 pressures during the season, making them the NFL’s best pass-rushing tandem. To ensure that you never miss another breaking news item, make sure to follow @HondoCarpenter on Twitter and @HondoSr on Instagram. CLICK HERE to subscribe to our 100% FREE newsletter, which is sent out three times a week and contains all of our greatest stories.

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