The Raiders will boast one of the best defensive lines in the league with a combination of Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins and Koonce. Koonce is the least well-known of the group and will benefit from the elite players around him, but he flashed a lot of upside of his own after Antonio Pierce took over as head coach in Las Vegas and seemingly identified him as a player that needed to see more of the field. Through the first eight games of the season, Koonce played between 30 and 40 percent of defensive snaps. After Pierce took over, that mark immediately jumped to at least 40 percent and ultimately settled in around a 60 percent clip. All told, in the nine games after Pierce took over as coach, Koonce tallied eight sacks and 29 total tackles, leaving little reason for the team to bench him. He's earned a significant role along the defensive line and is a prime breakout candidate heading into 2024.
