How the defensive line operates in Las Vegas Raiders’ 3-4 defense

The Sunday before the free agency foray — legal tampering period began on March 9 — I explored how the linebackers will operate in the Las Vegas Raiders’ 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.

General manager John Spytek went to work on Day 1 of free agency to provided Leonard with two standout linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker and brining in and back edge rushers Kwity Paye, Malcolm Koonce, and Maxx Crosby respectively, to facilitate the Silver & Black’s transition from a four-down linemen front to the three-down lineman look with four linebackers behind them.

But in order for those aforementioned names to do what they do best, that group will need the trio in front of them to execute its respective roles. The two defensive ends and the nose tackle in the middle are the tone setters in a 3-4 defense and that trio’s ability to occupy attention is focal point No. 1. But within that though, is the ability to make plays of their own against the run and pass while freeing up the linebackers behind them to create controlled chaos.

In essence, the three-down linemen in the Raiders new front will be doing the “dirty work”.

The Nose Tackle

The big daddy in the middle that controls the line of scrimmage. That’s the simplest of terms to describe this defensive tackle. This role has evolved over time from the classic space eater in the middle to a more athletic one in the one-gap scheme (more on this below), however, the prototype remains a defender that’s north of the 325-pound mark — even eclipsing 350 pounds.

The nose tackle combines brute strength — both upper and lower body to latch and control and to anchor against double teams without being pushed back — and length to keep blockers and shed them to make tackles. The two-gap nose tackle lines up directly over the center and is responsible for the spaces between the center and guards (A-gaps). The one-gap tackles are pocket pushers who can provide interior pressure by collapsing the pocket in the middle.

The prototype two-gap nose tackles include: Ted Washington, Vince Wilfork, Dexter Lawrence, and Dontari Poe. The one-gap type see Jay Ratliff and Ed Oliver as smaller, more athletic nose tackles that shoot the gap and get in the backfield instead of simply occupying blocks and standing their ground.

The Defensive Ends

Like their much bigger counterpart inside at nose, the defensive ends in a 3-4 front are physical specimens who combine power and length. Unlike a 4-3 front where the ends tend to be more sleek and speed rushers coming off the edges, the 3-4 defensive end controls the offensive linemen and focus on styming the run rather than rushing the passer.

Size wise, the ends combine height and bulk to generate both upper- and lower-body strength, to control and anchor. These defenders tend to be 6-foot-4 or taller and weight north of 285 pounds, upwards of 310-plus pounds. Think of the ends being traditional defensive tackles in a 4-3 front on the edge, instead. The ends typically line up over the offensive tackle and must control the gaps inside and outside of said tackle. When the end executes properly, they tie up one or more offensive linemen preventing them from reaching the linebackers — a shield if you will. Run containment is of utmost importance to the defensive ends but on obvious passing downs, these defenders are given the opportunity to collapse the pocket inside in a pincher move alongside the nose tackle.

The prototype defensive ends include: J.J. Watt, Bruce Smith, Justin Smith, Calais Campbell, and Aaron Smith.

Who Fits

Fortunately for the Las Vegas, the current roster boasts a slew of defenders who can compete for the defensive end and nose tackle role — albeit the one-gap version. Veteran Adam Butler has experience in a 3-4 defense playing end while primarily playing tackle in the 4-3 front in the desert. Standing 6-foot-4 and 301 pounds, Butler has shown the ability to anchor and rush inside and out and is a good lead-by-example type if placed on the edge or inside.

Jonah Laulu provides a young presence that can line up at end as the 25-year-old stands 6-foot-5 and 289 pounds. Like Butler, he’s shown flashes of controlling the line of scrimmage, stopping the run, and getting after the quarterback. Another fit at end is Tonka Hemingway who heads into Year 2. Standing 6-foot-2 and 284 pounds with a solid motor, the South Carolina product has the strength and energy to be an active defensive end.

Then there’s Tyree Wilson, who is still finding his footing in the NFL after being taken seventh overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-5 and 263 pounds, Wilson has shown the strength and length to play inside at tackle or end. And he’d be a hybrid option — as his get-off appears to slow to operate as a rush outside linebacker in the 3-4.

Nose tackle is where the Raiders need reinforcements.

Las Vegas do have Brodric Martin on the roster and he has prototypical nose size at 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds. Then there’s JJ Pegues — 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds — who heads into Year 2 as a draft classmate of Hemingway. Then there’s Laki Tasi, the intriguing physical specimen at 6-foot-6 and 373 pounds that the previous coaching staff moved to offensive line. This Raiders staff should give serious consideration of moving the International Pathway Program add back to defense as a nose tackle.

There remain veteran nose tackle options on the open market for Las Vegas: Andrew Billings (31 years old and was a Raider in 2022), DaQuan Jones (34) and D.J. Reader (32).

The Raiders could look to the 2026 draft, too, as the team has 11 selections in April’s event. The top two nose prospects are Ohio Stae’s Kayden McDonald and Florida’s Caleb Banks. McDonald is built similar to Pegues at 6—foot-2 and 326 pounds and is a run stopper who racks up tackles for loss. Banks is the larger of the two at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds. He’s approaches the game with a grappler mentality and can control the space he occupies.

Spytek could do a shrewd move with Banks as the prospect suffered a broken foot at the NFL Scouting Combine which will likely put his draft projections in question — Banks was seen as a Day 1 or Day 2 talent.

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