These three players will define the 2024 season for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Las Vegas Raiders will have multiple players who need to make an impact for the team to have success in 2024. And under Antonio Pierce, there’s reason to believe he’ll be able to get the most out of them in his first full season as the full-time head coach.
Malcolm Koonce, Defensive End
I speak for all Las Vegas Raiders fans when I say I cannot wait to watch Malcolm Koonce this season. The veteran exploded onto the scene in the second half of last season. It’s a shame the former third-round pick from the University of Buffalo didn’t see much playing time at the beginning of the year. We’re all tired of talking about Josh McDaniels, but it still baffles me that Koonce wasn’t playing. However, the edge rusher made the most of his opportunity when interim head coach Antonio Pierce relieved McDaniels.
Koonce finished the year with eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and 29 solo tackles. Three of those sacks came in the Christmas Day game against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Now, Koonce is headed into his fourth season as the starting edge rusher opposite of superstar Maxx Crosby.
It’s fair to say that all Raiders fans expect him to take another leap this season. If Koonce can deliver, this defensive line will be one of the best in the league. He should see a lot of one-on-one blocking due to the offensive line focusing their attention on Crosby and Wilkins. Getting pressure on the quarterback and disrupting their timing is key for the success of the defense. I expect Koonce to have a monster season and get that contract extension he deserves.
Brock Bowers, Tight End
The Las Vegas Raiders’ offense may not be great given the current quarterback situation, but Brock Bowers is going to make us smile. The run on quarterbacks in the draft certainly benefited the team. Not too often does this team get a caliber player like Bowers to fall into their lap. In recent reports, the Los Angeles Rams were desperately trying to jump the Raiders to pick Bowers. If Sean McVay thinks Bowers is going to be good, then even more reason to be excited.
The two-time national champion at Georgia certainly had a historic career in college. Bowers won the John Mackey Award for the most outstanding tight end in back-to-back years. He was also a major contributor to the dominance of Georgia the past few years and was a joy to watch.
What can Raider fans expect from their first-round pick? If you watched Bowers in college then you know that he’s not a true tight end.
Bowers was on the receiving end of multiple screens, reverses, and trick plays. He also showed his versatility by carrying the rock 19 times at Georgia. Bowers will more than likely line up in the slot for the majority of the time, but expect the Raiders to get creative with him. The 12-personnel offense the team will run with second-year player Michael Mayer and Bowers already has me on cloud nine. The first time he takes one to the house this fall is going to be electric.
Zamir White, Running Back
The Raiders relied heavily on Josh Jacobs to be their run game for the entirety of his tenure with the Raiders until he went down with an injury last season. Jacobs has since signed with the Green Bay Packers, bringing a change of scenery for the Raiders offense.
Zamir White came onto the scene late last season to carry the load, and is expected to be the starter heading into 2024.
It’s fair to say that White made the most of his opportunity given the circumstances last year. He finished last season with 104 carries for 451 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and had a memorable game-sealing run for 43 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day where he finished with 145 yards on 22 carries. That was the best Christmas present a Raiders fan could hope for.
White could struggle to start the season as the team transitions to a new offensive scheme under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Getsy brings a different style of offense that the team isn’t familiar with. It’s been reported Las Vegas will rely heavily on the West Coast offense and switch their run game to a zone-blocking scheme. The scheme will play to the strengths of the offensive line, but it is not something White is accustomed to.
White has primarily been a power gap back since he’s been in Las Vegas, and it’s easy to see why given the recent photos circulating social media. However, can he make the transition? I certainly think so.
If his vision improves, this combined with his speed and physicality will make him a top running back in this league. With the team’s quarterback situation this year, White should be a primary focus for this offense to help out the passing game. His stock is currently low, but just like any investment, this is a great time to buy.
Predictions
Like every fan base, optimism is through the roof every off-season. However, Las Vegas Raiders fans should expect big things from the aforementioned players, starting with Koonce. With a stacked defensive line, 10+ sacks shouldn’t be out of the question.
On offense, the Raiders are going to get Bowers the ball as much as possible. Bowers will have a great rookie season if he finishes around 1,000 receiving yards, eight touchdowns, and 100 rushing yards.
Meanwhile, Zamir White needs to be a prolific runner this year to help the offense. If he can adapt to the zone scheme early, the team will feed him the ball well past 1,000 rushing yards and seven plus touchdowns.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.