The Las Vegas Raiders took the field en masse on Wednesday. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo seems to have won over teammates in the honeymoon phase, which created some positive energy in Henderson, Nevada. In an offseason filled with question marks around player injuries and contract issues, the Silver and Black needed a breath of fresh air.
While most eyes fixated on Garoppolo and his surgically repaired foot, another young defender landed on an injury list. On the first day of practice, the Raiders placed defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. on the non-football injury list.
No, Farrell isn’t a big deal right now. As a rookie, he only played 27 percent of the defensive snaps while on the field for nine games, logging 12 tackles, one for loss, and two pressures.
Related: 2023 NFL power rankings
However, the Raiders have a rash of injuries among their young defensive linemen.
Tyree Wilson’s uncertain timetable
Like Farrell, Tyree Wilson is on the non-football injury list, which isn’t a surprise. Head coach Josh McDaniels hinted that the team would be careful with the rookie’s road to a full recovery.
“No timeline, but he’s headed in the right direction, no question about it,” McDaniels said. “Excited about that. And this is, again, just the process that we expected based on what was happening at the time we drafted him, so we knew that there was going to be a rehabilitation process and there’s going to be a re-acclimation process here.”
About five months after going down with a foot injury that required surgery, Wilson said he would be ready for training camp but didn’t specify a return date.
Related: NFL predictions 2023
Byron Young’s surprise injury
Shortly after the rookies reported to training camp last week, Vegas placed Byron Young on the physical unable to perform list, which means he suffered an injury while participating in an NFL activity. The Raiders haven’t disclosed the nature of his absence.
Wilson, Young and Farrell may all get on the practice field in time to get valuable reps through training camp and the preseason, but they’re first- and second-year players who need as much time on the field as possible to surpass veteran defensive linemen in the pecking order.
Though no one wants to see injuries, the Raiders still have the depth to fill interior voids between edge-rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
Veteran defensive tackles with new career life
Las Vegas re-signed Jerry Tillery, Kyle Peko and Isaac Rochell. All three defensive tackles will have a chance to make a notable impact in their second year under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
After an average year with few standout plays, Bilal Nichols has some motivation to perform at a level that justifies his two-year, $11 million contract ($7.1 million guaranteed).
Lastly, don’t forget Adam Butler, who registered 17 sacks between 2017 and 2021 before missing the entire 2022 campaign because of injury. In 2019, with the Miami Dolphins, John Jenkins worked with Graham.
A group of veteran defensive linemen won’t make headlines early in training camp, but the Raiders may need guys like Tillery, Peko, Rochell and Butler to become the glue along the front line while a trio of young defenders recover from injuries.
In the best-case scenario, Wilson, Young and Farrell have short stints as spectators, but in the meantime, the coaching staff must get the most out of a veteran group. Matthew Butler, a fifth-round pick from last year’s draft, and rookie seventh-rounder Nesta Jade Silvera are the young healthy bodies among the interior defenders.
Though older veterans lack upside with a low ceiling, several Raiders defensive linemen close to or older than 30 years old will have a chance to extend their careers with an opportunity to play a significant number of snaps.
Related: Richest NFL owners
Before the youth movement goes into full swing, Graham may call on a handful of veteran defensive linemen to set the tone for the season—his job could be in jeopardy if the Raiders defense has another disappointing year.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.