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Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs (39) celebrates intercepting a Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (not pictured) pass during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Left is Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0), right is defensive end Maxx Crosby (98). Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

How Great Will the Raiders’ Defense Be in 2025?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 3:00 PM ET

I have covered the Las Vegas Raiders' units that make up their defense, such as their defensive line, linebackers, and defensive back room, to gauge how they will perform in 2025. Just like with their offense, I'll now be going over their defense as a whole and why I think it'll be what carries this team moving forward.

When discussing the Raiders' defense, it's impossible for Maxx Crosby not to be the first name brought up. He's likely the biggest star the Raiders have on their roster at the moment, though that may change in the future with the introduction of Ashton Jeanty and the emergence of Brock Bowers.

What makes 2025 such a different year for Crosby is that he has one of the best supporting casts around him he's had in his career in the silver and black. Running mate Christian Wilkins should have a healthier season than he did in 2024, and they have plenty of depth to account for any injuries.

Malcolm Koonce is set to make his return to the team after missing the entirety of last season due to an injury suffered before the season had even started, and Adam Butler is ready to continue to contribute to this team and make an impact whenever he can.

Not to mention, they have Tyree Wilson as a backup, and if there were any year where Wilson had to prove his worth as a high first-round pick, it'd be this one. Not to mention, Las Vegas native Jonah Laulu is ready to break out after a promising rookie season, and their two incoming rookies have the potential to make some noise in year one.

Their defensive line is certainly the crown jewel of their entire defense, but there's more to them than their defensive front. The Raiders were aggressive in free agency when it came to landing linebackers, with three of their acquisitions being linebackers.

They set out to bring plenty of leadership in their linebacker room with Elandon Roberts and Germaine Pratt, who both have experience playing in high-pressure situations, to cover up the lack of experience that their starting strong-side linebacker Tommy Eichenberg has.

The biggest question mark in their linebacker room is Devin White. White can be a tremendous help to their defense and put them over the top if he's able to revert to the player he once was. Even if he continues to play at the level he's been playing at, he'll still make an impact as a backup.

Finally, their defensive back room has the biggest boom or bust potential out of their entire defense. Jeremy Chinn will be looking to hold it down on the back end for their defense, and alongside Isaiah Pola-Mao, the Raiders have a nice safety duo.

The problems arise when looking at who they have on the boundary, incoming rookie Darien Porter and first-round bust Eric Stokes. Teams will be looking to pick on this defense through the air, and they'll have to scheme around their weakness to prevent opposing teams from letting their players cook downfield.

Overall, the Raiders' defense is one of the better units across the NFL, but one not without its flaws. The Raiders are banking on their players staying healthy, and if they can do that, this will be a team that nobody wants to face due to their unruly defense and much-improved offense.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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