The Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys wasn’t a great showing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Pretty much nothing went right, and at least one player is likely going to lose some money.
During the loss Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce got frustrated with Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Guyton. The two went at each other before Koonce decided to strike Guyton in the helmet with a closed fist.
Guyton clearly exaggerated the impact of the hit, which helped lead to Koonce being called for a 15-yard penalty. Even though the replay shows that Guyton flopped, that doesn’t change the fact that Koonce can’t hit another player with a closed fist.
The good news for the Raiders’ defensive end is that the hit wasn’t serious enough for him to face a suspension. However, he’s almost certainly awaiting a decision on a fine.
Koonce doesn’t appear to have been fined for a late hit in the past, so he’s a first-time offender. That means he’s likely looking at a fine in the $11,000 range. That’ll definitely add insult to injury following the Raiders’ embarrassing performance against the Cowboys on primetime.
Koonce Needs to Play Better for Raiders
It’s been a tough couple of years for Koonce. He had a breakout season in 2023 and was set to have a bigger role in 2024, which was the final year of his rookie contract. Before last season, he got hurt and missed the entire year.
It was always expected that it would take some time for him to get back on track, but he’s now had 10 games this season and just one sack. That’s not even close to what the Raiders were hoping to see from him.
The team gave him a one-year, $11 million deal in the offseason in hopes he’d be a capable running mate for Maxx Crosby. At this point, he’s likely on the verge of getting benched. Koonce needs to start making plays soon, or he might be playing on a much smaller contract next season.
DE A Major Need for Raiders
The Raiders are going to have a ton of positions of need this offseason. Years of poor drafting have caught up to the franchise, and the roster is devoid of talent.
Unfortunately, defensive end has become a huge need. In 2023, the Raiders used the No. 7 pick on Tyree Wilson, but it’s clear now that he’s not going to develop into an impact player.
Crosby is the only player on the defensive line who continuously makes plays. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Raiders go defensive end in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They can’t get after the passer consistently, which makes the entire defense struggle.
The problem is that the Raiders have needs everywhere. The offensive line is a mess, quarterback is a disaster, the team doesn’t have great wide receiver talent, all of the linebackers are on short-term deals and there aren’t many impact players in the secondary. The Raiders can’t go wrong with just drafting the best available player when they pick in the first round unless it’s a tight end or running back.
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