What If the Raiders Put ALL Their Pass Rushers on the Field?

CLUES ABOUT THE DEFENSE FROM OTAs

If you’re trying to figure out what Rob Leonard’s defense will actually look like in 2026, this is the episode for you. We break down everything we learned from Leonard, Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Jeremy Chinn, and others during the latest round of OTAs, including why the Raiders’ switch to a 3-4 isn’t quite what many people think it is. We also dive into the aggressive mindset this staff is building, how interchangeable pieces like Chinn and Taron Johnson fit into the puzzle, and why the defense may end up being far more multiple than people realize. If you want a clearer picture of what the Raiders are building on that side of the ball, check out the full episode linked above.

3-4 VERSION OF THE NASCAR PACKAGE?

When I was listening to Rob Leonard describe what the switch to a 3-4 defense means to him, I couldn’t help but start reading between the lines. Naturally, the wheels started spinning about which players could line up where.

Now, I’ve said it a ton: we’re going to see plenty of four-down looks out of this team when they’re in nickel. It’s a nickel league now, so that’s really their base defense anyway. But when the Raiders are in a traditional three-down front, I wonder if we could see a wrinkle like the one I proposed above. To be clear, I’m not saying this would be their primary 3-4 look — just something Leonard could have in his bag from time to time.

The idea came to me because we all know Maxx is at his best when he’s rushing the passer and defending the run, not dropping into coverage as an outside linebacker. Even with the move to a 3-4, he’s not going to spend much time backpedaling into zones. That would be wild.

So, to help eliminate some of the predictability, I started wondering what it would look like if Maxx occasionally put his hand in the dirt as a 3-4 defensive end — a spot typically occupied by a bigger-bodied player.

If you lined up Maxx and Kwity Paye at the defensive end spots, with Adam Butler at nose tackle, then flanked them with Malcolm Koonce and Keyron Crawford at outside linebacker, you’d have a ton of speed and pass-rush ability on the field at the same time. You’d also be able to disguise blitzes pretty well. Teams really wouldn’t be able to get a great read on where that fourth or fifth rusher might be coming from when you add in the linebacker(s) and/or nickel.

Maybe it’s a souped-up version of the old NASCAR package, just from a 3-4 structure.

I’m not sure I’d want Koonce dropping into coverage on a regular basis, either, but Crawford absolutely has that in his bag. Just go watch his Auburn tape.

I know plenty of people don’t love the idea of Adam Butler serving as the primary nose tackle, and I get it. He doesn’t have the size many people want at that position. But he did it in New England on the league’s top-scoring defense in 2019 and had plenty of success as a true nose. So it’s not crazy to think he could handle that role for the 18-30% of snaps we’ll likely see the Raiders in their true 3-4 base defense.

Would I have concerns about this group’s ability to consistently stop runs right up the middle? Sure. But in passing situations, it could be really interesting.

From there, you could put Nakobe Dean in as your dime linebacker, slide Taron Johnson into the nickel, and keep Treydan Stukes at free safety and Jeremy Chinn at strong safety. If you want Dean and Quay Walker in there handling linebacker duties, you could instead remove Chinn and roll with Johnson and Stukes at the two safety spots. In my mind, you’ve probably got your best 11 defenders on the field after you fill in the corners in that setup.

Dean, Walker, and Chinn are all pretty interchangeable in those situations, at least in my mind.

There are a lot of possibilities, and again, I’m just spitballing here. But it’s a really interesting combination of looks that plays right into what Leonard is talking about when he says he wants to be multiple.

We also can’t forget that Leonard worked with Brian Flores in the past. That man is a sicko and has no problem bending the traditional rules of defense.

So don’t be surprised if we see some of these crazy looks pop up from time to time.

A DIFFERENT TONE ON TARON

A lot of fans didn’t love that Taron Johnson missed the first few weeks of OTAs while reportedly trying to land more guarantees in his contract. I get the frustration, and I’ve made my thoughts on his absence pretty clear on the podcast. Personally, I never thought it was a huge deal, and I certainly don’t blame him for handling his business.

Then there’s the quote above from Jeremy Chinn. One thing that stood out was his mention that, even while Taron wasn’t physically at OTAs, he was still doing what he needed to do to learn the defense. That’s an important detail and should probably change the way some fans view his absence. It’s one thing to skip voluntary workouts and disappear. It’s another to stay engaged, stay on top of the install, and be ready to hit the ground running when you return. By all accounts, Johnson appears to have done the latter.

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

THE MOST UNDERRATED RAIDER

Who is the most underrated player on the Raiders roster?

I make the case for a player who could have a massive impact on what Rob Leonard’s defense becomes in 2026, and it’s probably not the name you’re thinking of. We take a deep dive into Adam Butler’s versatility, why his role could be bigger than many realize, and how he might be one of the keys to unlocking the front seven. We also hit on Taron Johnson’s return to practice, the Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza timeline, and why Michael Mayer could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Klint Kubiak’s offense.

FANSHOTZ FRIDAY

“FanShotz Friday”

By now, you have seen the phenomenal photos we’ve been using in many of our newsletters. They’re some of the best shots you’ll find of your favorite team, captured through the lens of our friend Arnie Bazemore of Fanshotz.com. Every Friday, we’ll feature Arnie’s favorite Raiders shot of the week that he captures at practice or on game day.

This week, we’re featuring a shot Arnie snagged of Kirk Cousins at OTAs. We spend a lot of time talking about Fernando Mendoza — and for good reason. It’s been a long time since the Raiders have had this much optimism about their long-term outlook at quarterback.

But we can’t forget about Cousins.

His familiarity with Klint Kubiak, Andrew Janocko, and the offense as a whole is incredibly valuable for this team right now, especially during this stage of the offseason and heading into the early part of the season. I’ve said it many times: I think Fernando will ultimately be the guy that gets the Raiders back on track. But that will come later. Kirk is the quarterback of the present, and I’m really curious to see what he does with that opportunity early on in Las Vegas to lay the foundation for the kid.

Check out Arnie’s work at his site linked above and reach out if you’re interested in working with him. He’s a great guy and has been so supportive of me over the years when I was at NBC here in Vegas, and he’s come along for the ride with Silver & Black Sports Network, too.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Mandatory minicamp is almost here. The Raiders will be back on the field June 9-11, and it should give us our clearest look yet at where things stand heading into the final stretch of summer.

We’ve seen a handful of players come and go throughout OTAs, and we’re still waiting to see Nakobe Dean. For the record, I don’t think there’s any reason for concern there. Dean has a reputation as a character guy, so I’d expect him to be in the building next week when attendance becomes mandatory.

With all that in mind, keep an eye out for our podcasts next week as we break down everything we see and hear during minicamp.

Catch ya next time,