There were several players who underperformed this season for the Raiders, including former quarterback Derek Carr. However, there were also a few players who outperformed expectations in 2022 for Las Vegas.
One of those players was defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who joined the team in free agency. While he didn’t play a ton of snaps (481), he was an extremely useful player for their defense as a run defender.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Billings was named the team’s most-improved player during the 2022 season. Here is what the site had to say about the veteran defensive tackle from last year:
“Billings played just 72 snaps in 2021 with the Cleveland Browns but returned to form as an above-average run defender with the Raiders in 2022. His 72.3 PFF run-defense grade was the highest of his career, while his 22 tackles resulting in a defensive stop marked just the second time he has made at least 20.”
Billings isn’t much of a pass rusher, but he has developed into one of the better run defenders in the league. And for a defense that has struggled to stop the run over the last several years, he was a welcomed addition to their defensive line.
Billings is a free agent this offseason, but the Raiders would be wise to bring him back after having the best year of his career in 2022.
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