Oakland Raiders Two-Deep Depth Chart

Left Defensive End: Mario Edwards Jr., Stacey McGee

While we’re still on the subject of defensive ends taken in the second round that no one thought well of, Mario Edwards will be the starting left defensive end. He started off playing behind Justin Tuck last year but when he went down with a torn pectoral, Edwards became the starter.

And eventually, he started to look like a dominant player, requiring at least a double team on each play. That enabled OLB Khalil Mack to see some one-on-one blocking and get off. Edwards also disrupted the pocket, not allowing the quarterback to comfortably step up and throw.

Mack was only able to get 4 sacks in his first year because his pressures led to quarterbacks stepping up to avoid him and throw. But with Edwards in the fold, that would change as he had 15 in 2015, 12 of them in an eight-game stretch that Edwards was in the lineup and played well.

He didn’t have any in the last two games of the season, when Edwards was out with a neck injury. Edwards is healthy now so watch what he and Mack do together with the rest of that front-seven. Stacey McGee, who likes to show up once and a while will back Edwards up.

Next: Weakside OLB