There's Still Another Level for Koonce to Reach
As he entered his third season in the league, defensive lineman Malcolm Koonce of the Las Vegas Raiders was facing his most important season in the National Football League.
As the season kicked off, Koonce needed to show he could be a productive part of the Raiders' defense, as the team had hoped for when they drafted him.
The only problem for Koonce at the time was that the Raiders' former coaching staff wasn't giving him consistent playing time, which prevented him from showing his progression. His lack of playing time also cost him the chance to gain valuable game experience.
However, the Raiders made a coaching change roughly halfway through the season and Koonce was undoubtedly one of the primary beneficiaries of the team firing Josh McDaniels.
When former linebacker Antonio Pierce took as interim head coach, one of the main changes to the defense was how much more time Koonce saw on the field. As he began to play more, he gradually progressed into a serviceable part of the defense.
Weekly, Koonce would get closer to registering sacks until he finally had break-out games in consecutive weeks against the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, registering a total of five sacks in those games.
There is still room for Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Malcolm Koonce to grow.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Koonce and fellow defensive end Maxx Crosby finished the season as one of the top pass-rushing duos in the National Football League, officially announcing Koonce's arrival as a formidable player.
While Koonce more than exceeded expectations in his critical third season in the league, he now enters a contract year with a chance to prove last season wasn't a fluke and earn himself a significant payday from either the Raiders or another team.
The Raiders were searching for a defensive end they could depend on to play on the opposite side of Crosby and they used free agency and the draft to find that player.
Koonce has solidified himself as the guy the Raiders were looking for. However, as well as Koonce played last season, if he improves his game more this offseason, the Raiders' defense has the potential to be one of the best in the league.
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