The Raiders had a ton of change happen this offseason. Not only did they move on from their franchise quarterback, but the defense should look completely different this season.
They’ve also added more weapons for Jimmy Garoppolo, including Jakobi Meyers, Phillip Dorsett, and Michael Mayer. But what position group has improved the most for the Raiders?
In a recent article by ESPN, they named the one unit for all 32 teams that improved the most this offseason. For the Raiders, their biggest improvement was their pass rush. Here is what the site had to say about the pass-rush unit for the Raiders going into the 2023 season:
Adding Tyree Wilson, who had seven sacks in each of his past two seasons at Texas Tech, to a pass rush that already boasts Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, who have a combined 72.5 sacks and four Pro Bowl appearances since 2019, is making a strength even stronger.
At least, that’s what the Raiders were banking on when they selected Wilson with the No. 7 pick of the draft. A more disruptive pass rush in a division that features star QBs in Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson is a must for Las Vegas.
The addition of Wilson is a huge one as it will finally allow Crosby and Jones to come off the field and get some rest. Too often, they were gassed by the fourth quarter after playing nearly every snap. Wilson should be able to help limit their snaps and keep them fresh late in games.
And if Wilson can kick inside on passing downs, we could see all three players on the field at the same time. If that’s the case, the Raiders could have one of the best pass rush units in the league.
