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Why Did the Raiders Sign a New Defensive Lineman?
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- Why Did the Raiders Sign a New Defensive Lineman?
The Raiders ' defense struggled on Thursday, as the Cardinals marched up and down the field. Now, Las Vegas has a new name on the interior of the defensive line after signing Folorunso Fatukasi.
Fatukasi is a 31-year-old veteran who last played for the Texans. The defensive tackle played in just four games last season, but he started 35 games in four seasons from 2021 to 2024.
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Raiders' Pass Rush
Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Shane Buechele (17) is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway (97) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Raiders' defense was torched by Arizona's passing game . The Cardinals completed 26 of 30 passes and scored 27 points in the first half. It wasn't until third-string quarterback Kedon Slovis entered the game that the Raiders finally got a stop.
Part of the struggles for Las Vegas came from the defensive line's inability to get to the quarterback. According to Pro Football Focus, the only interior defensive lineman to record a quarterback pressure was Gary Smith , who is listed as a fourth stringer on the Raiders depth chart. The entirety of the Raiders' interior defensive line was a non-factor in the passing game.
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Fatukasi only has seven sacks in 90 career games. He's never had 20 pressures in a single season. He's not likely to fix the Raiders' pass rushing issues, but he doesn't have a high bar to clear to be one of the better defensive linemen.
Texans' Secrets
Dec 27, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans questions a call during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Fatukasi spent the last two seasons in Houston. The Raiders will play the Texans on Thursday in their second preseason game. The two teams will also face off in joint practices ahead of the game.
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Is Klint Kubiak trying to get intel on the Texans by signing a former player ahead of a preseason game?
The Raiders will play two of their preseason opponents in the regular season, but the only one they don't have a rematch with is the Texans. So there would seem to be no real gain by adding Fatukasi, unless Kubiak really wants to win joint practices.
Veteran Experience
One theme across the interior of the defensive line is youth. Of the nine defensive tackles on the roster, just two are over the age of 26. Adam Butler is the eldest at 32 and likely to start. But next up is 28-year-old Benito Jones , who might not make the roster.
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The Raiders could enter the regular season with their core backups all aged at 26 or younger. If Las Vegas is looking for a bit more experience for their defensive depth, Fatukasi would provide it.
Ultimately the Raiders didn't add much in the offseason to improve the interior of the defensive line. With a rebuild underway, the Raiders might be waiting until next offseason to add more meaningful talent.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
