Raiders’ Charles Snowden faces more competition at edge this season

Malcolm Koonce’s return, drafting Tank Hemmingway makes roster climb steeper in Las Vegas

As an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA), Charles Snowden’s return to the Las Vegas Raiders was pretty much guaranteed.

Once the Silver & Black offered the 27-year-old defensive end a one-year contract, Snowden’s options were to accept and sign it or sit out the entire 2025 season. Despite his age, the Virginia product had fewer than three accrued seasons in the NFL and that, along with his expired contract, made him an ERFA.

Thus, Snowden returns after playing in 16 games with nine starts in 2024. Injuries and haphazard depth gave the undrafted free agent the opportunity for defensive snaps and the 6-foot-7 and 245-pounder took advantage. He shined in Weeks 3 and 4 last season — including a game-ending sack against the Cleveland Browns — and his return helps bolster the edge rusher group in Las Vegas.

By The Numbers
Charles Snowden, Defensive End

• 2024: 16 games (9 starts), 39 total tackles (18 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 quarterback hits, 4 pass deflections
• Career: 18 games (9 starts), 39 total tackles (18 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 quarterback hits, 4 pass deflections

Yet, with Malcom Koonce’s clean bill of health and return along with the Raiders drafting versatile defensive linemen Tonka Hemmingway (fourth round, 135th overall) and JJ Pegues (sixth round, 180th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, Snowden faces much more competition to carve out a roster spot this coming season.

While Hemmingway (6-foot-2, 284 pounds) and Pegues are listed as defensive tackles (6-foot-2, 309 pounds), the rookies have the ability to move inside and outside as interior and edge defenders.

The Raiders also have incumbent Tyree Wilson in the fold (heading into his third year) along with undrafted free agents Jah Joyner, Jahfari Harvey, and Ovie Oghoufo in the defensive end room, too.

But it’s Koonce’s return that truly looms large.

The 2021 third-round pick had a break out 2023 campaign where he racked up eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and 43 total tackles. His 2024 season was wiped out with a knee injury but the Buffalo product is back and eager after signing a one-year, $11.04 million contract with $10.02 million fully guaranteed. Koonce’s $10.02 million cap number for 2025 not only represents the belief Las Vegas has in it’s 27-year-old pass rusher, but his status as starter, too.

That 2023 season, Koonce played in 17 games with 11 starts and totaled 500 defensive snaps (44 percent of Las Vegas’ defensive total). Likely to garner similar — if not more — snaps, Koonce is set to start opposite of elite defensive end Maxx Crosby in 2025.

Depth remains of utmost important, however. And having a group behind Crosby and Koonce that can come in and perform and produce is vital. With Crosby rarely coming off the field and assuming Koonce can play at 50 to 40 percent of the snaps once more in 2025, the fight for additional snaps comes to Wilson, Snowden, and the rest of the defensive lineman.

At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, Wilson (the seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft), played in 16 games in 2024 with four starts. He totaled 525 snaps on defense totaling 27 total tackles (16 solo), 4.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and six tackles for loss. That was an improvement from his rookie numbers and at his size, gives Las Vegas the ability to shift him from edge to interior. If we see Wilson line up at end and tackle this season, that can open opportunities for Snowden.

But as noted above, the ability to play multiple positions isn’t relegated to just Wilson as rookies Hemmingway and Pegues showcase that same ability. Las Vegas should be keen to see what kind of early return on investment they can get from the two draft picks.

But open competition — something head coach Pete Carroll wholeheartedly believes in — can create opportunities for players like Snowden.

What works in his favor — along with this height and length — is Snowden’s one-year pact is very cheap: 960,000. He’s also has in-game experience as a contributor in 2024.

Snowden will have to be on point on and off the field when the Raiders reconvene for training camp (rookies report July 17 and veterans July 22) to stave off younger talent looking to carve out their own roster spot.