The Raiders’ pass-rushing plan has changed since the beginning of the month. Chandler Jones is not presently in the picture, with concerning off-field issues leading the former All-Pro to the team’s reserve/NFI list. First-round pick Tyree Wilson has not started in Jones’ place yet.
A former AFC West sack artist will be part of Las Vegas’ equation as of Wednesday. The Raiders are adding Malik Reed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This is a practice squad agreement, but the increased P-squad flexibility in recent years has led to these deals often serving as bridges to the active roster.
Reed spent three years with the Broncos, working as a regular sub for a team that could not keep Von Miller and Bradley Chubb healthy at the same time for most of Vic Fangio‘s HC tenure. After signing Randy Gregory and drafting Nik Bonitto last year, the Broncos traded Reed to the Steelers, with whom he played a rotational role. Reed ended up a contract-year one-and-done with the Steelers and rejoined Fangio with the Dolphins this offseason, but Miami did not keep the former UDFA on its active roster after cutdown day last month.
This will mark a return to Nevada for Reed, who played collegiately at the University of Nevada-Reno. Reed, 27, posted 13 sacks between the 2020 and ’21 seasons. Although Chubb was invited to the 2020 Pro Bowl, Reed’s eight sacks paced the Broncos that season. Reid has worked exclusively as a 3-4 outside linebacker over the course of his career.
The Raiders have tallied five sacks thus far, with Maxx Crosby responsible for two of those. But no other edge rusher has contributed to the team’s sack total through three games. Viewed as a Jones successor opposite Crosby this offseason, Wilson has operated as an off-the-bench rusher thus far, playing 40% of Las Vegas’ defensive snaps.