Raiders potentially bringing in Gerald McCoy to bolster defense

Veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is visiting the Las Vegas Raiders in hopes of landing on an NFL roster after a year off.

The Raiders may not be done adding veteran help to their roster for 2021.

On Wednesday, Las Vegas had a visit from defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who could bolster their defensive line after a year out of the league.

Field Yates of ESPN and others reported the visit.

The Raiders signed Solomon Thomas from the 49ers this offseason and had intended to convert him to defensive tackle.

However, according to Ted Nguyen of The Athletic, the staff may believe Thomas is too small for a full-time role as a 3-technique. Bringing in McCoy would give them an interior presence while freeing up Thomas to work outside.

Gerald McCoy could try to revive his career with the Raiders

The big question is whether the 33-year-old has anything left to give inside after spending a year off. He was a stud from 2012 to 2017 as a Pro-Bowl DT with great stats. He was still productive in 2019 with the Panthers, posting five sacks and 13 quarterback hits. That was his last season playing in the NFL.

McCoy signed a three-year contract with the Cowboys for the 2020 season. They released him after he ruptured his quad during the first padded practice of training camp.

Skepticism around McCoy’s health could explain why he remains unsigned this August. Someone is eventually going to take a chance on him. The risk and reward would be high on either end.

For the Raiders, McCoy could provide some solid depth if he can stay healthy. They already have Johnathan Hankins and Quinton Jefferson slated to start, with Thomas available to rotate in. If they added the veteran, they wouldn’t have to depend on him solely.