One of the biggest holes currently on the Raiders’ roster is at defensive tackle. The signing of Maliek Collins just didn’t work out and it appears that Maurice Hurst is better as a part-time player rather than as a starter.
But what the Raiders need at defensive tackle isn’t someone who just excels at rushing the passer or only stopping the run. They need someone who can do both at a high level. That is why Leonard Williams would make a ton of sense given that he is scheduled to hit the open market in 2021.
Williams has always been known for his ability to stop the run, but his pass-rushing skills were questioned in 2019 after recording 0.5 sack in 15 games. But in 2020, he exploded as a pass-rusher, totaling 11.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hits.
However, not everyone is convinced that he would be a great fit with the Raiders this offseason. In a recent piece by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, he wrote about why the Raiders would be smart to avoid Williams in free agency. Here is a snippet of his thoughts below:
“While Giants defensive end Leonard Williams may be one of the best sack artists available in free agency, the Raiders would be better off avoiding him. He’s going to be one of the league’s hottest commodities, and overpaying to sign him could cripple Las Vegas financially.
The Raiders are already projected to be more than $7 million over the cap this offseason. Even if they clear enough cap room to be a free-agency factor, they shouldn’t blow their entire budget on a single player.”
We know that the front office likes Williams as Mike Mayock had him as his No. 1 player in the 2015 NFL Draft. But Knox is right here. The Raiders don’t have a ton of cap space and it would probably be unwise for them to spend it all on just one player given how many needs they have all over the defense.
Don’t expect the Raiders to show much interest in Williams if and when he hits the open market. Instead, look for the Raiders to draft a defensive tackle, potentially even in the first round.
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