Defensive Lineman Gerald McCoy Heads To “Sin City”, Hopes To Upgrade The Defense

By Jordan Long

The Las Vegas Raiders are well into training camp.  They will have their first preseason game on August 14th against the Seattle Seahawks.  They decided the defensive line needed work, agreeing to a contract with free agent Gerald McCoy.  The terms of the deal weren’t announced.

                McCoy enters his 12th NFL season.  The Raiders will be his 4th team.  He previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, and the Dallas Cowboys.   Last year, McCoy missed all of the season after rupturing his right quad in practice.  The injury allowed Dallas to void the contract he agreed to in the offseason which was 3 years and valued at $18 million in total. McCoy has been waiting for a chance to show he is 100% healthy.

                McCoy has shown he is one of the top defensive tackles in the league.  He creates pressure and takes down the quarterbacks.  He can also be used in the rush defense to stop runners from gaining yards.  McCoy totaled 153 quarterback hits, 86 tackles for losses, and 59.5 sacks in his career.

                The Raiders anticipate McCoy is an upgrade to their team.  The Raiders ranked 24^th in the NFL in rush defense, giving up 125.8 yards on the ground per game.  When it came to their pass rush, Las Vegas created pressure but were unable to sack the quarterbacks, ranking 29^th in the league totaling only 21 sacks.  The Raiders hope with this addition the rush yards go down while the sacks go up.

                McCoy should fit in with the Raiders defense.  He is 6 foot 4 inches and weighs 300 pounds.  Offensive linemen need to know where he is lined up. McCoy’s strength allows him to push the man that is guarding him backward which frees him to either tackle the quarterback or the runner.  Those can be the difference in field position, especially in short yard situations. McCoy can also use his height to bat the ball down for incompletions with a total of 22 in his career.

                The Raiders, assuming McCoy is healthy should have one of the better defensive lines in the game.  They want to improve on their 8-8 record.  On paper, this move should go a long way for them to be a better team.  The only way this won’t work is if McCoy is hurt and spends time on the sideline where  he can’t produce.