The timing of the injury news surrounding Malcolm Koonce couldn’t have been worse for the Las Vegas Raiders‘ rising defensive star—in a contract year, no less.
There are several aspects to consider in light of the devastating development surrounding Koonce. As expected, Raiders fans experienced a significant loss of confidence prior to Sunday’s game in Los Angeles. Still, as far as we know, Koonce will miss time, but it’s not a season-ending level of injury.
What do the Raiders and Malcolm Koonce do now?
Head coach Antonio Pierce himself couldn’t hide his disappointment when announcing the news, but, like anything in the NFL, life goes on. Now, Raider Nation will place their hopes on second-year player Tyree Wilson. Throughout training camp and preseason, we’ve seen Wilson struggle mightily; the lack of explosiveness at times is a red flag. Nonetheless, his physical presence still leaves us in awe—he’s quite literally a beast. But is he more than just all “show” in his second season?
Let’s return to Koonce for a brief moment. There’s something else to consider with what is now happening for No. 51. He’s currently playing in the final season of his rookie deal, collecting $4.9 million on said contract. Perhaps the most important player on the Raiders defense, aside from Maxx Crosby, it was a foregone conclusion that he would stay. General manager Tom Telesco would undoubtedly ensure Koonce’s well-being.
So, now what?
While a non-contact knee injury shouldn’t necessarily be catastrophic, it can have a significant financial effect on Koonce, particularly if his impact diminishes. No one wants this, not Raiders fans and certainly not the organization, but these things happen; it’s the nature of the NFL. Koonce’s pass-rushing impact really came onto its own last year as he accumulated eight sacks and nine tackles for a loss. The Raiders were surely expecting these numbers to increase in his fourth year as a pro—now, this could be in jeopardy.
Everyone is hoping for a speedy recovery because they will miss his on-field prowess.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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