What should Las Vegas Raiders fans expect from their team’s recent acquisition on defense, K’Lavon Chaisson? For his part, head coach Antonio Pierce seems eager to unlock his “untapped potential.”
We have signed DE K’Lavon Chaisson and CB Kyu Blu Kelly to practice squad pic.twitter.com/3mf10DyuZM
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 10, 2024
On September 10, the Raiders added some much-needed depth at the defensive end position after injuries to the position group. Not only did the team lose Malcolm Koonce to injured reserve, but Tyree Wilson could also be out with a knee injury. In a presser on Wednesday, Antonio Pierce talks about the injury to Wilson and the addition of Chaisson.
“There is some talent there that I think is untapped,” Pierce said. “We have injuries so here is a guy that can help us, and he has juice in his legs right now”.
Addressing Wilson’s injury Pierce said, “It is not looking good, but we will know later this week.” This is terrible news for the Raiders as he was the seventh pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Will he ever be able to live up to his full potential?
K’Lavon Chaisson Professional Career
Chaisson, hailing from a prestigious football school like LSU, garnered significant attention in the 2020 NFL Draft. What is interesting to note is that Chaisson did not play very much in college and was seen as a raw, but talented prospect. He only played two full seasons before embarking on the NFL but received first team honors in his second season.
Furthermore, Chaisson dealt with injuries in college and continues to do so later in the NFL. In 2018, tragedy occurred where he tore his ACL and only played in one game that season. However, this did not hinder him from hearing his name called on draft day.
His story is fascinating because he was not originally aiming to be a professional football player. In his NFL Draft profile, the story details how the game of football found in late but paid off. Nonetheless, Chaisson was seen as a great athlete that could be molded due to his superior agility.
In Jacksonville, he definitely struggled to showcase his full potential to be worth a first-round pick. After four seasons he was only able to produce five sacks in total for the organization. Obviously, this is unacceptable out of a player that was highly invested into. He then had the freedom to explore other options, ultimately joining the Carolina Panthers.
New #Raiders EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson hasn’t found the success he’s hoped for via pass rush, but has shown promise vs the run and has proved to be a sure-tackler.
2023:
– 58.2 pass rush grade
– 58.0 run grade (2nd-highest among JAX edge)
– 6.8% win rate (2nd-lowest among JAX edge)…
— Alex Monfreda (@AlexMonfreda) September 10, 2024
Sadly, before the season could start, he was released by the team and has now signed with the Raiders. If injuries are not limiting him, Chaisson is only 25 years old. Pierce mentioned that Chaisson still has a ceiling to reach. The Raiders edge rushers are in desperate need for someone to assist Maxx Crosby.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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