Will the defensive line be a weakness for the Raiders during the 2021 season?
Once again, the Raiders did some major reshuffling on their defensive line. Gone are Maurice Hurst and Arden Key, in are Yannick Ngakoue, Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson. In a recent article by Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus, he ranked all 32 defensive lines heading into the 2021 season. Not surprisingly, the Raiders ranked in the bottom half of the NFL, coming in at No. 26. Here is what Linsey and the site had to say about the unit entering the season:  The Raiders have struggled to generate any kind of pass rush for years now. The addition of Yannick Ngakoue and his 80th-percentile pass-rushing grade since 2017 should help in that department. Ngakoue, Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby at least give Las Vegas an intriguing mix of young edge rushers. But the Raiders are thin on the interior. Johnathan Hankins, Quinton Jefferson and Solomon Thomas as the top three options on the defensive tackle depth chart form one of the weaker interior groups in the league following Maurice Hursts release.  Arguably the biggest question mark on the entire roster is at defensive tackle. While Hankins is a reliable one-technique, the team is counting on several unproven players at the three-technique position. If one of Solomon Thomas or Quinton Jefferson step up and secure that spot, this defensive line suddenly looks a whole lot better. On paper, the Raiders defensive line certainly looks better on paper than what we saw at this time last year. Still, the team needs one more solid defensive tackle before they can be ranked inside the top half of the league.