Raiders Season Review: Kenny Young

Outside of leading tackler Denzel Perryman and Divine Deablo, the Las Vegas Raiders will be featuring multiple new names in their linebacking corps this upcoming season.

One of those will be Kenny Young, a former fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens who already has played for three teams in his four-year NFL career.

While only playing 36 percent of Baltimore's defensive snaps as a rookie, Young put up decent numbers with 51 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. 

Young's ability to rush the passer and be an effective blitzer was particularly evident, as he racked up another 13 quarterback pressures in 2018. 

He didn't have anywhere near the same effectiveness in 2019 while playing in only five games for the Ravens before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams. 

With the Rams in 2019, Young transitioned to being a special teams player for the rest of the season, but got back to being a contributor on defense in 2020. 

Young put up similar numbers to his rookie season, but it was in 2021 where Young saw himself be a full-time starter for the first time. 

Starting in all 13 games he played, Young put up 75 total tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles between the Rams and Denver Broncos, where he was traded in mid-season. 

That starting experience could prove useful for Young in earning a shot to at least be a key member of the Raiders linebacker rotation. 

Perryman's production last season and veteran status will keep him as the groups leading man, while Deablo showed promise once he got playing time late last year. 

It'll be a fight to earn that third spot for Young, along with the likes of Jayon Brown and Micah Kiser. 

Having that special team experience could also end up being very valuable for Young, having the ability to contribute beyond whatever he can do on defense. 

For Young, it'll have to be all about adapting, something he's become very familiar with in his still brief career. 

If he can continue to do that and find a role, Young should be on solid ground with the Raiders defense.