The Raiders’ 2026 outlook may hinge less on the quarterback room and more on a defense that looks built to take a real leap.
That’s a notable turn for a unit that, under former defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, squeezed plenty out of limited talent last season. Las Vegas finished 3-14 and earned the No. 1 overall draft pick and quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but the defense still gave the team a fighting chance more often than the record suggested.
The move from Pete Carroll to Klint Kubiak brought the expected shake-up on the sideline. One of Graham’s assistants, defensive line coach Rob Leonard, was elevated to defensive coordinator, and that continuity should matter for players up front and throughout the group.
Leonard inherits a defense that lived in the “bend, don't break” lane a year ago. The numbers reflected that: 317.8 yards per game allowed, good for 14th, and 25.4 points per game allowed, which ranked 25th. The structure kept games competitive, but the unit had too little margin for error because the offense was so poor.
Now the roster looks different at every level. Las Vegas brought back Malcolm Koonce and added Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford at edge rusher.
Crosby remains the anchor on the defensive line, which the team largely kept intact. In the secondary, the Raiders added Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Treydan Stukes, Eric Stokes, and Jermod McCoy.
General manager John Spytek didn’t just tweak the defense; he rebuilt the talent base.
Leonard also comes with some useful background. He worked alongside Mike Macdonald during his time with the Baltimore Ravens, and that influence could show up in how this group is coached and disciplined in 2026.
There may be some growing pains early. Chemistry won’t appear overnight, and a defense with this much newness - including the coaching staff - could need time to settle in. But if the group is where it needs to be by the end of the season, that’s what will count.
The bigger picture is what makes this so intriguing. If the Raiders get even a modest step forward from “bend, don't break” toward a unit that can actually smother opponents and support a young offense, that would be a major development for the franchise. And in the AFC West, that means trying to make life harder for Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix.
It may not be an elite defense in 2026. But it has a real case to become the team’s strongest side.
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