With free agency a couple of weeks away, we check in on the Raiders’ edge defenders to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Clelin Ferrell, Maxx Crosby

Backups: Arden Key, Jeremiah Valoaga, Ade Aruna, Kendall Donnerson, Kendal Vickers

Free agents: Benson Mayowa, Dion Jordan, Josh Mauro

The two starters came from last year’s draft class. Ferrell was the Raiders’ pick at fourth overall and struggled to get things going much of the season. The 6-4, 265-pounder was moved inside often while an edge rusher was brought in. He did put together a couple good games late in the season that showed he was capable of it.

Crosby was the find of last year’s draft. The 4th round pick put up 10.0 sacks on the season which was second among all rookies as well as the second-most ever by a Raiders rookie. He looks like the real deal, every-down edge rusher the Raiders desperately needed.

Key carried expectations that he would take the second-year leap. He didn’t. Then he was lost to injury in week seven. Heading into his third season, there’s still some hope he can be the third-down pass rusher the Raiders need him to be.

Mauro came in on a one-year deal and was named the starter. He got injured in week eight and by the time he was healthy, his job had been given to Maxx Crosby who had shown he was an every-down player who could stop the run and rush the passer. Mauro was a run stop specialist.

Mayowa was a major find by the Raiders, and led the team in sacks through much of the season, finishing with a career-high 7.0 sacks. But he didn’t get a sack over the final seven games of the season, in part because of Crosby’s emergence and in part because began playing Ferrell outside a bit more.

Dion Jordan was brought in midseason, just after he came off league suspension. He put up 2.0 sacks in seven games, despite often playing inside.

Condition: Unstable

Crosby is the star of this group. Ferrell was the 4th overall pick so he will be given every opportunity to prove he can step up in his second season. And indications are that he can. Where the instability comes is once you move past those two.

Who knows if Arden Key can finally be anything but preseason wonder. There’s no indication at this moment if the team intends on bringing back either Benson Mayowa or Dion Jordan. Getting one of them back would help this group tremendously. If not, they should really be looking for a replacement for their services.

Also see the condition of QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, and DI

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