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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce is out for the season due to a knee injury suffered in practice three days before the team’s season opener, a team source confirmed Friday night.
Koonce, coming off a career-best eight sacks and three forced fumbles in 2023 and entering a contract year, was placed on injured reserve Sept. 8. Charles Snowden started the team’s first two games in Koonce’s place opposite three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
With second-year defensive end Tyree Wilson suffering a knee injury in the opener at the Los Angeles Chargers and missing Week 2 at the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas signed former first-round draft pick K’Lavon Chaisson to the practice squad. Chaisson was elevated to the 53-man roster and played against the Ravens before being reverted to the practice squad, though he could be elevated again.
Wilson, the No. 7 overall pick of the 2023 draft, will return to play in the Raiders’ home opener against the Carolina Panthers at Allegiant Stadium this weekend, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said.
Koonce, 26, was seen wearing a sleeve on his right knee the day before his noncontact injury.
Crosby has all three of the Raiders’ sacks through the first two games and is the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week after racking up six tackles, including four for loss, with two sacks and a pass deflection while playing every defensive snap of the Raiders’ 26-23 win at Baltimore. He suffered an injury to his left ankle on the second-to-last play of the game, though, and is officially questionable to play against the Panthers after practicing in a limited fashion this week.
NFL reporter Jordan Schultz was first to report Koonce was out for the season.
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