The Raiders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL this past season despite the presence of future hall of famer Pete Caroll who had a defensive background as head coach. Pro Football Focus graded the Raiders’ defense as the worst in the NFL during this past season despite the aforementioned presence of Carroll. Although one could certainly argue that Carroll is overrated as a defensive mind, one cannot dispute that he is a smart defensive mind and how poor the Raiders were on defense was in large part due to how weak their defensive personnel was. Heading into next season, if the Raiders want to improve on defense with nowhere to go but up, their personnel in addition to their coaching will need to be better.
Starting with the front seven of the team, set to start at the first edge defender spot is former 5th rounder Thomas Booker IV. Booker IV has been poor thus far in the NFL consistently grading among the worst players at his position on a perennial basis according to Pro Football Focus. As of now Booker IV is not a starting caliber player nor even a surefire NFL caliber player, but he has only played one season worth of snaps thus far and could improve with more time in the league.
Former undrafted free agent Adam Butler is set to start at the nose tackle spot for Las Vegas and is also likely better suited as a backup although showing some promise thus far in the NFL. Butler in eight seasons in the NFL has graded in the above average range among players at his position only once and only slightly so in that regard.
2024 7th rounder Jonah Laulu is set to start at the other edge defender spot for Las Vegas as of now and is also not a surefire NFL caliber player. Laulu has consistently graded amongst the worst players at his position on a perennial basis thus far in the NFL but still has time to potentially improve.
Maxx Crosby is a bright spot in the Vegas front seven and the five-time Pro-Bowler brings stability to a unit that otherwise lacks it. Crosby is among the better if not among the best overall defensive players in the NFL. After getting off to a rocky start to his career, Crosby graded in the top four among all qualified players at his position for three straight seasons. Crosby has still been very strong for two seasons since but has not had quite the elite form that he had in year’s past. Crosby was traded this offseason to the Ravens before the trade was nullified due to a failed physical, so it remains to be seen if Crosby will remain on the team and/or how motivated he will be continuing to play for a Raiders team that likely won’t make the playoffs again, despite him being such a high-level player.
2022 3rd rounder Nakobe Dean is also a solid player set to start for Las Vegas in their front seven this upcoming season and provides stability to a unit that otherwise lacks it. Dean in three of four seasons in the NFL has graded in the above average to borderline elite range among players at his position according to Pro Football Focus. In the lone season where Dean took starter snaps in the NFL, he graded (13/92) among players at his position in terms of an overall defense grade according to Pro Football Focus.
2022 1st rounder Quay Walker is the next listed starter for the Raiders in their front seven at linebacker as well. Walker has however really underwhelmed as a former first rounder, grading in the below average to poor range among qualified players at his position in every season he has played thus far in the league. Walker has also logged starter snaps in every season he has played thus far so it is not as if a lack of experience has held him back. However, Walker has still looked solid at times thus far in the NFL, was drafted very highly, still is relatively young, and this is his first season with the Raiders where maybe he can mark a new chapter in his career and start to come into his own and overcome the struggles he has seen. In a very similar fashion to another former first round NFL linebacker in Jordyn Brooks of the Dolphins. Where Brooks of the Dolphins as a first rounder was seen as mostly a bust after his first stint with the Seahawks although looking solid at times. However, Brooks now has come into his own and has emerged as a very strong player with regularity, living up to his first-round draft billing in his second career stint with Miami.
Former 2021 first rounder Kwity Paye rounds out the Vegas starting front seven and is a strong player in the NFL who although he has not quite lived up to his high draft billing, is still very good. Paye in his first four seasons in the NFL graded in the above average to well above average range among players at his position according to Pro Football Focus. However, Paye failed to warrant being graded in the elite range in any of those years and Paye had a down year in 2025 ranking below average in terms of an overall defense grade for the first time in his career. After that down year with Indianapolis, the Colts did not re-sign him and Paye is now entering his first season with the Raiders, where he can perhaps recapture the strong form he had earlier in his career.
From a reserve standpoint in the Vegas front seven, the team lacks depth as they only have a few noteworthy names from a reserve front seven standpoint. The team drafted edge defender Keyron Crawford in the third round of the 2026 draft, and he will be expected to perhaps presume a starting role at some point as a rookie given his high draft selection and the Raiders’ holes in their starting front seven. While 2022 undrafted free agent linebacker Segun Olubi has looked very strong in very limited NFL snaps and could also transition to a starting role into the very questionable Raiders’ starting front seven as well. While 2021 3rd round linebacker/edge defender Malcolm Koonce has a ton of potential, in two seasons where he has logged extended snaps, Koonce has graded in the borderline elite range once, but below average the other time. However, the other time was during this past 2025 season where the Raiders team struggled in totality and Koonce’s performance was likely negatively affected as a result as well. Koonce has still not logged enough snaps to really come into his own in the NFL, and it is very possible he emerges as a high-end caliber player with regularity. All three of those players remain prime candidates to step into the Vegas starting front seven and will at least provide the team with some high-end caliber backup play up front defensively.
Overall, the Raiders as of now are in the discussion for having the weakest front seven in the NFL but it could prove to be better although still below average from a best-case scenario standpoint. Maxx Crosby is arguably one of the best defensive players in the NFL, Nakobe Dean is a good to a very good starter, while Kwity Paye is at least a solid starter. Outside of those three however massive question marks linger in the Vegas starting front seven. Two of the three currently listed defensive line starters for the Raiders do not even feel like NFL caliber players and certainly not starters, while the third does not feel like a starter nor even a high-end backup. Las Vegas will likely need the likes of young, talented but inconsistent/unproven players such as Keyron Crawford, Malcolm Koonce, Segun Olubi to potentially step into the starting lineup in order for Vegas to have a viable front seven that is not amongst the worst in the NFL. A breakdown of the Vegas front seven heading into the 2026 season can be found below.
Projected 2026 Las Vegas Raiders’ Starting Front Seven
LDE – Thomas Booker IV – D+ to C-
NT – Adam Butler – C
RDE – Jonah Laulu – D+
WLB – Maxx Crosby – A-
LILB – Nakobe Dean – B+
RILB – Quay Walker – 2022 1st rounder, C to C- so far
SLB – Kwity Paye – B to B-, 2021 1st rounder
Notable 2026 Las Vegas Raiders’ Reserve Front Seven Players
LB/ED – Malcolm Koonce – C+ to B-, could be graded too low, has been inconsistent thus far in limited snaps although showing borderline elite ceiling. could come into his own with more experience
LB – Segun Olubi – B+, very good in very limited snaps outside of rookie season
ED – Keyron Crawford – 2026 3rd rounder
