At 2-10, the Las Vegas Raiders have just to finish out the remaining games of their 2025 NFL season and turn the page for the 2026 campaign. This season has shown that the Silver and Black lack elite talent at key positions, including the pass rush.
The Silver and Black have an elite pass rusher in Maxx Crosby, who leads the team with eight sacks and 17 QB hits so far this season. However, after him, there’s not much help. Jonah Laulu is second on the team with four sacks, and Malcolm Koonce is third with three sacks.
In Laulu’s case, he’s a defensive tackle, so his other duty is to help stuff the run, but it’s clear that Koonce or even Tyree Wilson (two sacks) are up to the task of being Crosby’s edge running mate.
As a result, Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter believes that Las Vegas need to spend on someone who can produce at Crosby’s level. Moreover, he floated one name to target in free agency: Philadelphia Eagles‘ Jaelan Phillips.
“The next guy I want to talk to you about is Jaelan Phillips, the edge rusher from the Eagles; can you imagine him opposite of Maxx Crosby?” Carpenter said on the December 3 edition of “Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.” “… That would be a big deal. And I think Jaelan Phillips would be very manageable in their cap situation.”
Jaelan Phillips Does Come With Concerns
In Phillips’ first three seasons in the NFL, he recorded 6.5 sacks or more. However, he’s yet to get to that form after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during the 2023 season. In 2024, he played only four games, recording one sack. This season, he’s recorded four sacks with the Miami Dolphins and Eagles.
Another year removed from his torn Achilles tendon could see him return to the player that he was early in his years with the Dolphins. Moreover, a solid playoff run for Phillips as he enters unrestricted free agency wouldn’t hurt either.
Nonetheless, the Raiders will need to decide whether the 26-year-old has put his Achilles injury behind him as they look to find a pass rusher who can take advantage of playing alongside Crosby.
Raiders Urged to Move on From Geno Smith
The Raiders’ roster needs go beyond just finding a pass rusher, with quarterback standing out as another urgent priority.
“A change of quarterback is what needs to happen,“ NFL analyst Damien Harris said on the November 30 edition of “CBS Sports HQ.” “That’s where this starts. Geno Smith has not been good all season long, whether it’s the turnovers or not seeing the field properly.
“They’re not finding ways creatively to get Ashton Jeanty going. Brock Bowers has been limited. At times, he’s been injured. When he plays, he still shows those flashes, but they’re just not doing enough to scheme that guy open and get the production out of him that you need.
“You get rid of one of your top receivers, Jakobi Meyers, and that leaves you depleted in the pass catcher position. In totality, this team needs to get better in a lot of areas, but the biggest place I’m circling with a red marker is quarterback.”
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