Why I Think Rob Leonard Will Bring the Heat

MY BOLDEST RAIDERS DEFENSIVE PREDICTIONS

After spending the last few months studying Rob Leonard and watching the pieces come together throughout the offseason, I'm making my official predictions for the Raiders' defense in 2026. We dive into everything from how aggressive this unit will be, how often Leonard may blitz, and whether Maxx Crosby can get back to 12-plus sacks. We also break down some key camp battles, including Darien Porter vs. Jermod McCoy, which rookie defender could surprise people, and whether Nakobe Dean is poised for a breakout season. Plus, we tackle one of the most intriguing competitions on the roster: Matt Gay vs. "The Tokyo Toe." If you want a preview of what this defense could look like before training camp kicks off, check out the full episode linked above.

MORE BLITZES. MORE NICKEL. MORE PROBLEMS (FOR OFFENSES)

One of my bigger predictions for the Raiders' defense this season has nothing to do with sacks, interceptions, or individual stats. It’s about how Rob Leonard will choose to attack offenses.

I think the Raiders are going to bring the heat in 2026. Specifically, I’m predicting they’ll blitz on more than 30% of their defensive snaps, which would put them among the NFL’s most aggressive defenses after blitzing just 21.7% of the time last season. The coaching tree points in that direction — Leonard has worked under guys like Steve Spagnuolo, Brian Flores, Patrick Graham, and Mike Macdonald. The additions of Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker also give the Raiders two linebackers who can fly downhill, while investments in the secondary should allow Leonard to be more comfortable putting defensive backs on islands from time to time.

I also think we’re going to see a massive increase in sub-package usage. Despite all the talk about the switch to a 3-4 defense, I expect the Raiders to spend well over 70% of their snaps in sub-packages. After adding Taron Johnson, drafting Treydan Stukes, and already having a versatile piece like Jeremy Chinn on the roster, it just makes too much sense. The Raiders ranked second-to-last in the NFL in sub-package usage last season, but when I look at this roster, I see a team whose best 11 defenders are built to play in nickel.

If both predictions come true, the Raiders will look dramatically different on defense than they did a year ago. For the rest of my defensive predictions — including Maxx Crosby, Nakobe Dean, camp battles, and a few bold calls that might raise some eyebrows — check out the full podcast linked above.

INTERESTING READ

Jeremy Fowler recently polled NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to rank the league’s top edge rushers heading into 2026, and Maxx Crosby checked in at No. 4 overall. That’s not exactly breaking news to Raider Nation, but what stood out were the comments from the evaluators themselves. One AFC executive praised Crosby’s relentless motor and consistency, while an NFC executive pointed to his ability to impact games even when offenses are built entirely around slowing him down. If you need a reminder of just how respected Crosby is around the league, this is a good one.

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MY BOLDEST RAIDERS OFFENSIVE PREDICTIONS

In a recent episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast, I put my official predictions for the Raiders' offense on the record. We dive into everything from when Fernando Mendoza could take over for Kirk Cousins to whether Ashton Jeanty is headed for a monster year, how much Klint Kubiak will lean on 12 and 13 personnel, and whether Brock Bowers can top 1,000 yards again. We also break down the offensive line, the young receivers I'm buying stock in, and how many games I think this team can realistically win. If you want a preview of where I think the Raiders' offense is headed in 2026, check out the full episode linked above.

JEANTY PRIMED FOR A BREAKOUT IN 2026?

ESPN recently named Ashton Jeanty as the Raiders’ breakout candidate for 2026, and it’s hard to argue with the logic. Ben Solak pointed out that Jeanty averaged just 1.26 yards before contact per carry last season — one of the lowest marks in the NFL over the past 15 years. Simply put, the Raiders' offensive line didn’t do him many favors. Yet he still managed 975 rushing yards and finished among the league leaders in yards after contact per rush, showing the same tackle-breaking ability that made him a star at Boise State.

That’s a big reason why I’m bullish on Jeanty this season, too. On last week’s podcast, I predicted he’ll top 1,200 rushing yards and reach double-digit rushing touchdowns. I also think his role in the passing game expands significantly. After seeing 73 targets as a rookie, I’m projecting closer to 95 this season, which could push him north of 650 receiving yards. Add it all up, and Jeanty could approach 1,850 total yards from scrimmage — a number that would put him firmly among the NFL’s most productive backs.

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 Roman Hemby, the UDFA running back out of Indiana. A lof of you guys love him and think he’ll make the team over. I’m leaning towards Dylan Laube snaging that final running back spot, but I’m not writing Hemby off all together. He’s an interesting kid and I can’t get that one run in particular out of my mind where he trucked that Oregon defender on the goaline. Anyway, I’m not gonna debate the makeup of the RB room here today, I just thought this was a sick picture from our guy Arnie.

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?

We took Thursday off on the podcast front, but we’ll be back at it on Tuesday.

Next week, we’re diving into an AFC West preview with our guy Cody Alexander, breaking down how the Raiders match up with each team in the division and the new challenges they’ll present after a busy offseason filled with free-agent additions and draft picks. It should be a fun one, so keep an eye out for that dropping Tuesday morning.

Catch ya next time,