NFL Rumors: Raiders' Malcolm Koonce Out for 2024 Season with 'Serious' Knee Injury

NFL Rumors: Raiders’ Malcolm Koonce Out for 2024 Season with ‘Serious’ Knee Injury

Posted by Admin September 20, 2024 NFL

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce will miss the remainder of the season due to a right knee injury, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Jordan Schultz @Schultz_Report

BREAKING: #Raiders pass rusher Malcolm Koonce suffered a serious knee injury during a recent practice and will miss the entire season, per multiple sources.
A devastating blow for Koonce, who’s coming off a career-best 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles, and was entering the final… pic.twitter.com/MH5MpAQUVY

Jordan Schultz @Schultz_Report

The #Raiders were ecstatic about Malcolm Koonce as a gifted young pass rusher opposite Maxx Crosby.
Sources say the team weighed several options with the hope that the injury wasn’t as severe and Koonce could return this season, but surgery will ultimately be required. https://t.co/QUfqDhg9lf

Koonce suffered the injury during a Thursday, Sept. 5 practice, three days before the Raiders opened the season against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas placed Koonce on injured reserve two days afterward. ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez reported at the time that the injury could be season-ending.

Unfortunately, that appears to be the case now, and it’s a brutal blow for a player who broke out in the second half of last season.

Tristen Kuhn @KuhnTristen

#Raiders EDGE Malcolm Koonce has been one of the NFL’s best pass rushers since week 8:
– 35 pressures
– 7 sacks
– 6 TFL
– 15 QB Hits
– 3 FF
– 21 Stops
– 87.8 PFF Grade (3 games of 90+)
– 2 Forced Interceptions pic.twitter.com/FRThKzM2Aq

The 26-year-old Koonce, who is in a contract year, is a third-round 2021 draft pick out of Buffalo. He started 11 of 17 games last season and finished with 43 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and eight sacks.

Losing Koonce for the season is a bitter pill to swallow for the Raiders, who certainly benefitted from the four-year veteran’s playmaking abilities opposite superstar Maxx Crosby. The Silver and Black also looked to have a tremendous defensive line on paper, with Crosby, Koonce and Christian Wilkins lining up.

Without Koonce, the Raiders turn more to Janarius Robinson, Charles Snowden and Tyree Wilson at defensive end.

Wilson, the team’s top choice in the 2023 draft, missed last Sunday with a knee injury and is questionable for this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Crosby (ankle) and Wilkins (knee) are also listed as questionable.

The Raiders are coming off a 26-23 road victory over the host Baltimore Ravens to move to 1-1. They’ll head to Vegas for the first time this season when the Panthers come to town on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.