With free agency under a month away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ defensive tackle position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.
Returning starters: NoneBackups: Kendal Vickers, PJ Johnson, Andrew BillingsFree agents: Jonathan Hankins, Quinton Jefferson, Darius Philon, Solomon Thomas, Gerald McCoy
Last season the Raiders had a pretty decent rotation of defensive tackles in Hankins, Jefferson, Philon, and Thomas. McCoy was in the mix to start the season, but was injured in the season opener and didn’t return.
Hankins continued to be the lane clogging nose tackle, just as he had been the previous three seasons for the Raiders. He was joined by the others. The Raiders hoped they would get at least one starter and a solid rotation player, and they got that and more.
Jefferson turned out to be the closest to an every-down tackle among them, offering a good balance of run stopping and pass rush. While Philon and Thomas offered pass…