Las Vegas Raiders urged to sign intriguing veteran pass-rusher

The Las Vegas Raiders have one of the NFL’s best pass rushers in Maxx Crosby, but they could always use some more guys who can get to the quarterback.

That’s why ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sees the Raiders as a good fit for free-agent defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.

Ogbah was released by the Miami Dolphins earlier this offseason and is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he played 15 games and logged 20 tackles, 5.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.

The 30-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Oklahoma State, was originally selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

He enjoyed an impressive rookie season, registering 53 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Ogbah ended up spending the first three years of his career with the Browns, but was unable to replicate the production he posted during his debut campaign.

The Browns then traded Ogbah to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he resided for one season and recorded 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks. His season ended due to injury after just 10 games, however, and he did not participate in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run as a result.

That ensuing offseason, Ogbah signed with the Dolphins, where he broke out with 42 tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his first year in South Beach.

Then, in 2021, Ogbah tallied very similar numbers, finishing with 41 tackles, nine sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 12 passes defended.

Injuries limited Ogbah to just nine contests in 2022, and during his time on the field that season, he logged 11 tackles and a sack.

The Nigerian native may no longer be the same pass rusher he was a few years ago, but he could still represent a very nice depth piece for the Raiders.

Las Vegas has Crosby and Malcolm Koonce as its top two pass rushers, and Adam Butler had a decent year in 2023, as well. As a team, the Raiders collected a solid 46 sacks this past season.

The Raiders went 8-9 and missed the playoffs in 2023. They are not viewed as legitimate contenders heading into 2024, but further buttressing the defense would certainly help.