It is no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the poorest defensive teams in the NFL, so it was encouraging to see them invest heavily on that side of the field this offseason.
The Raiders made a splash by signing Yannick Ngakoue and added players like Quinton Jefferson and Solomon Thomas to beef up the interior of their defensive line. Las Vegas did not stop there as they spent most of their draft equity in the 2021 NFL Draft on talented players like Trevon Moehrig, Malcolm Koonce, and Divine Deablo, youngsters that could compete for starting snaps immediately.
Even with all the new additions on the roster, the Raiders made perhaps the most impactful move when they decided to bring in Gus Bradley as their new defensive coordinator. Bradley spent the previous four seasons with Las Vegas’s in-division rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers but now has the challenge of turning around a defense that has hemorrhaged points in recent years.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Bradley is already making an impression on the roster, especially with Derek Carr:
“I thought I was a positive guy, but my goodness, Gus Bradley has never had a bad day,” the quarterback said of the team’s new defensive coordinator. “At least I get grumpy every once in a while. This guy has never gotten upset in his life. You will never see him in a bad mood, it’s incredible.”
Carr has always kept his head high even during tough times throughout his Raider career, but it seems as though Bradley has come into the organization with the right attitude, which should go a long during the 2021 season. The vibes in and around the organization are optimistic, and the Raiders feel like a team that can make some noise.
Although it remains to be seen how Bradley puts his stamp on the defense, it can not be denied that the Silver and Black are in a much better position than they previously have been.
