2026 Defense thread

[STHfrontrow]

This defense doesn't have much talent at all especially after the Maxx trade. 1st time Def Coach Rob Leonard really doesn't haven't much to work with but that should change.

Are we leading with Wilson & Chinn?

Figure the Raiders might draft 1 or 2 defensive players within the 4 picks they have in the top of the draft that might be day one starters. Looks like overall though this defense is going to be built through free agency.

Thoughts.

[Be_Easy_25]

It’s a built in excuse for Rob Leonard. Not suggesting Leonard wants an excuse. I’m just suggesting one is naturally built in.


I’m not sure there will be a good way to evaluate him unless he truly turns chicken schitt into chicken salad.

I think I may want another 2nd in this draft so we can add to the defense specifically. This would likely mean moving trading back from 14.

[raiders72]

It’s evident right now it’s a rebuild..

Offensively with cap space, build OLine and add a veteran WR or two with no baggage and no veteran divas!

10 picks give or take, I take the Ravens pick and trade down for a lower 1 and another 2 if possible, with 2 second round picks you can trade down again with one since the experts say this is a stacked draft at LB and Edge

Use excess cap money to find the spillanes and stokes

[pfish57]

More than likely all the starters but a few will be backups, well I hope so lol

[mranquales]

Defense was bottom tier WITH Crosby. Not much changes.

[Attyla]

Defense was bottom tier WITH Crosby. Not much changes.

The sad thing is, you really believe that.

[LayneStaley]

All I know is we need a lot of help. I really don’t want to be relying on Wilson and Koonce.

[LayneStaley]

Send them one of our 4ths

[BoKnows81]

The sad thing is, you really believe that.

Believe me, dude is annoying af, but hes not wrong here. With our current situation, we can replace Maxx between this year and next year while improving on production.

[SkullCrusher]

It’s evident right now it’s a rebuild..

Fun with words really, yeah it's a rebuild, what's to reload on the #32 ranked team?

[Attyla]

Believe me, dude is annoying af, but hes not wrong here. With our current situation, we can replace Maxx between this year and next year while improving on production.

Losing Maxx did not make us better. Blaming him for our record is also things he has said which is flat out stupid. The only hope is that those 2 picks help make us better down the road. I get why we made the move, the offer was good. But in the short term it did not make us better and if we miss with those two picks it will equate to losing Mack.

[BoKnows81]

Losing Maxx did not make us better. Blaming him for our record is also things he has said which is flat out stupid. The only hope is that those 2 picks help make us better down the road. I get why we made the move, the offer was good. But in the short term it did not make us better and if we miss with those two picks it will equate to losing Mack.

But it's not going to make us worse. That's the point.

[Attyla]

But it's not going to make us worse. That's the point.

We don't know that at this point. But logic dictates that taking away your best player does not improve a team. That said, the other moves matter. But our team last year without Maxx would have made us worse. Teams used double teams to keep him at bay and even that did not work. Teams are not double teaming anyone on our defense without Maxx and that is an advantage for an offense.

That all said, the game is a team game, not a player game. Garrett is arguably the best in the game and their team sucked. One player who is great cannot win, with the possible exception of the QB, a game on their own. Garrett had no help like Crosby.

[BoKnows81]

We don't know that at this point. But logic dictates that taking away your best player does not improve a team. That said, the other moves matter. But our team last year without Maxx would have made us worse. Teams used double teams to keep him at bay and even that did not work. Teams are not double teaming anyone on our defense without Maxx and that is an advantage for an offense.

That all said, the game is a team game, not a player game. Garrett is arguably the best in the game and their team sucked. One player who is great cannot win, with the possible exception of the QB, a game on their own. Garrett had no help like Crosby.

What's your definition of improving a team? Bc to me, if the Raiders record improves every year starting this year and while Maxx is in Baltimore, which I'd bet my life it does, then we in fact improved our TEAM. And trading Maxx while obtaining the picks in fact accelerates the chance to improve our team.

And honestly if I were the Browns, I'd ship Garrett's ass out bc the haul they would get would send them in the right direction very quickly.

[DanKD]

What's your definition of improving a team? Bc to me, if the Raiders record improves every year starting this year and while Maxx is in Baltimore, which I'd bet my life it does, then we in fact improved our TEAM. And trading Maxx while obtaining the picks in fact accelerates the chance to improve our team.

And honestly if I were the Browns, I'd ship Garrett's ass out bc the haul they would get would send them in the right direction very quickly.

Browns the new raiders. They reworked watsons contract with now huge cap hits next year and year after. They should have gone full rebuild but are trying to win now with crap quarterbacks.