The Las Vegas Raiders made a move on Monday, getting defensive tackle Thomas Booker from the Philadelphia Eagles. In exchange, cornerback Jakorian Bennett went to the reigning Super Bowl champions. Looking at the newest Raider, you can see there’s plenty to like about him.
Booker stands at 6’3″ and weighs 302 lbs., making him a mean presence in the interior. He was an Eagles fixture last season, recording 18 tackles and a sack. He’s also a 2022 fifth-round pick, selected by the Houston Texans.
Bennett going to Philadelphia gives the defending champs more secondary depth. Now, you have Bennett alongside Cooper DeJean, Adoree Jackson, Quinyon Mitchell, and others. They look better at the corners and can pick off opposing quarterbacks more easily.
But what about the newest Raider? What does he bring to the table? How does he help Las Vegas move closer to shocking the NFL world? Believe it or not, there’s a good reason why he was traded to Sin City’s NFL team.
Why Thomas Booker went to the Las Vegas Raiders
If you remember the drama surrounding Christian Wilkins, it involved a kiss on the forehead and players making complaints. The Raiders said “No More!” and cut him after catching wind of the incident. While it was nice getting rid of him character-wise, Las Vegas still needed defensive line depth and strength.
After all, you can’t just rely on Maxx Crosby terrorizing quarterbacks and opposing offensive lines by himself. No, one man can’t do all the work by himself. Otherwise, he’ll end up like Nick Bosa and become consistently double-teamed. Nobody wants that.
That’s where Booker comes in. He’s a good tackle that can fill that void, making him a noteworthy matchup. He adds more depth to the defensive tackle position by adding much-needed size.
Certainly, that sounds nice for the former Texans draft pick. However, he has a ways to go regarding a starting position. Adam Butler sits firmly on the right side and has some viable stats to back it up. Last season, he had 36 tackles, five sacks, and a forced fumble.
Booker can still make the Raiders roster, though
Still, that shouldn’t disqualify Booker from being a roster mainstay. He can dominate his opponents with his upper-body strength alone. He’s also a versatile defensive tackle, being able to play in either a 4-3 or a 3-4.
If he can shed blocks better and hold his ground, he could be a viable backup. Booker must also learn to shed double-teams better. Doing this takes the pressure off his fellow linemen, bettering them in the process.
This might not seem like a major deal on the NFL scale. It’s not like you’re getting Aaron Donald to reinvent the defensive line. Instead, you have a warm body to fill a role.
However, that shouldn’t stop Booker from proving himself. He can make the most of his new opportunity and dominate the preseason. After all, one of the Raiders’ owners went through a similar journey, en route to being a Hall of Fame quarterback…
Featured Articles
Featured Writers
