Malcolm Koonce Returns To Raiders On One-Year Deal
The Las Vegas Raiders re-signed defensive end Malcolm Koonce (knee) on Monday to a one-year, $12 million deal, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Raiders selected Koonce in the third round (79th overall) in the 2021 draft out of Buffalo. He will return for a fifth season in Sin City despite suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of last year against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers. In his three seasons with the Raiders, the 26-year-old pass-rusher has accumulated 55 tackles (40 solo), 10 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits and three forced fumbles in 39 games (11 starts). Koonce had a career-high eight sacks in 2023, so the Raiders weren't quite ready to move on after his unfortunate knee injury in 2024. If Koonce is fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out all of last year, he should start opposite All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.
Malcolm Koonce Appears To Be Next In Line For An Extension
The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce seems to be the obvious first player in line to receive a long-term contract extension from new general manager Tom Telesco. Pass-rusher is a premium position, and the coaching staff seems pretty convinced Koonce is only scratching the surface of his potential. Robert Spillane might be second on the list for an extension given his improvement and how much he loves head coach Antonio Pierce and fellow pass-rusher Maxx Crosby. The 26-year-old Koonce had a breakout season in 2023, recording 43 tackles (32 solo), eight sacks and three forced fumbles in all 17 games for the Raiders. Six of his sacks came after Week 15. If Koonce continues his upward trajectory, no QB will be safe in 2024 when they face the Raiders and their formidable pass rush.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Buffalo edge rusher Malcolm Koonce with the No. 79 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft on Friday night. Koonce has excellent bend around the edge and is a super flexible pass-rusher with long arms. He stands at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, though, so he'll need to add some strength to give him more burst at the next level. With the pick, it's clear that the Raiders are continuing to build their defense. While Koonce may not be an immediate starter in Las Vegas, he should at least fit somewhere into a rotation on the defensive line. Koonce struggles sometimes in the open field with his tackling, but he has proven to be an athletic backfield disruptor.
Malcolm Koonce
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