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Patrick Mahomes may have been the reason why the Las Vegas Raiders extended Malcolm Koonce's contract, despite him missing the entire 2024/25 NFL season, as Tom Brady's new team also signs Geno Smith.
The Raiders are looking to become a competitive force in the AFC West once again and face stern competition not just from the Kansas City Chiefs, but also the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers too.
And in that quest to return to the summit of their division, John Spytek has already had to make some big decisions such as bringing onboard Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, but also about Koonce's future.
Already touted as a huge talent, Koonce produced three forced fumbles, eight sacks and 32 solo tackles in the 2023/24 NFL season, and starred against Mahomes in the Raiders' Christmas Day win.
But then came disaster after the linebacker suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him out of the entire 2024/25 NFL season. So, with his contract up, Spytek had to make a call to stick or quit.
The general manager opted to stick with him, no doubt inspired by his three sacks against Mahomes on December 25, 2023, and offered him a one-year deal worth $12 million.
What is Koonce good at?
So you know Koonce's numbers and his reputation, but what exactly is he good at? Why are the Raiders so keen to keep him around?
Spytek opened up on the talents of the 26-year-old and why he is a player Las Vegas believes they can build around.
"He's a guy that can rush the er," Spytek told Upon Further Review on March 27. "Can affect Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix and Justin Herbert six times a year.
"I mean, hell yeah, we need that. It's interesting too."