Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Maliek Collins (99) pressures Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Why Raiders Should Consider Reuniting with Maliek Collins?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Mar 10, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have been making moves in the off-season to ensure that next season isn't like the one before it. Signing Maxx Crosby to a historic deal and trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith tells me this team is trying to be aggressive and win more than four games next season.

The AFC West is projected to be one of the toughest divisions in football next year. The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a Super Bowl loss, and they just resigned their star linebacker, Nick Bolton. They won't take the regular season as nonchalantly as they did last season.

The Los Angeles Chargers are entering year two of the Jim Harbaugh era and are expected to make adjustments after an embarrassing loss to the Houston Texans in the wild card round of the playoffs. There will be no excuses for them next year. Justin Herbert has to step up.

The Denver Broncos will be heading into next year with the hope that their sophomore quarterback, Bo Nix, continues to develop, and they've yet to make any off-season moves. They have a lot of cap space, so who knows what players they'll be fielding out there?

The AFC is continuously being loaded with talent, and if the Raiders want to keep up and compete, their defense has to be up to snuff. They can do that by targeting a highly touted defensive prospect in the NFL draft with their high draft pick.

There remain plenty of options as well in free agency for them to shore up their defense. Talanoa Hufanga from the San Francisco 49ers is an intriguing player for them to target in free agency and could be a sparkplug for their defense with his tackling and instincts.

Another player in free agency from the 49ers is defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who the Raiders had on their roster in the 2020 season. If the Raiders want an experienced run stopper who knows what it means to play for the Silver and Black, look no further than Collins.

Last year, he had 33 total tackles, alongside five sacks and two fumbles recovered. Christian Wilkins was injured most of last year, but these two together would result in a brick wall that opposing running backs would have to get through, not to mention the sacks it would generate for Crosby coming off the edge.

Collins should be on the Raiders' radar, and under new head coach Pete Carroll, he could be one of the captains in setting a new culture for Las Vegas. He's used to success with the 49ers; he could bring that pedigree into their locker room.

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

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