NFL Rumors: Raiders' Malcolm Koonce Out for 2024 Season with 'Serious' Knee Injury

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce will miss the remainder of the season due to a right knee injury, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Koonce suffered the injury during a Thursday, Sept. 5 practice, three days before the Raiders opened the season against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas placed Koonce on injured reserve two days afterward. ESPN's Paul Gutierrez reported at the time that the injury could be season-ending.

Unfortunately, that appears to be the case now, and it's a brutal blow for a player who broke out in the second half of last season.

The 26-year-old Koonce, who is in a contract year, is a third-round 2021 draft pick out of Buffalo. He started 11 of 17 games last season and finished with 43 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and eight sacks.

Losing Koonce for the season is a bitter pill to swallow for the Raiders, who certainly benefitted from the four-year veteran's playmaking abilities opposite superstar Maxx Crosby. The Silver and Black also looked to have a tremendous defensive line on paper, with Crosby, Koonce and Christian Wilkins lining up.

Without Koonce, the Raiders turn more to Janarius Robinson, Charles Snowden and Tyree Wilson at defensive end.

Wilson, the team's top choice in the 2023 draft, missed last Sunday with a knee injury and is questionable for this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Crosby (ankle) and Wilkins (knee) are also listed as questionable.

The Raiders are coming off a 26-23 road victory over the host Baltimore Ravens to move to 1-1. They'll head to Vegas for the first time this season when the Panthers come to town on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.