If you were to look at the box score, you wouldn’t have even noticed that Gerald McCoy played. He did not register a tackle or a sack, but anyone who watched the game knew how good he was.
All game long, McCoy was in the backfield, creating havoc. On multiple occasions, he beat his man off the snap and created disruption that would ultimately hinder the offense.
After the game, head coach Jon Gruden sang McCoy’s praises and it appears that he will be the team’s Week 1 starter when they take on the Baltimore Ravens.
#Raiders head coach Jon Gruden on Gerald McCoy
It was just great to see him out there…I thought this was a really good step in the right direction for him. Really positive results I think
— Jesse Merrick (@JesseNews3LV) August 29, 2021
McCoy is going to be a part of a heavy rotation at defensive tackle for the Raiders. And at the age of 33, that only makes sense. He no longer can play 80-90 percent of the snaps, but he can provide a high-quality amount of snaps as both a run defender and pass rusher in the right defense.
For a player that hasn’t seen the field since the end of the 2019 season, McCoy looked really good on Sunday afternoon. And that should be a great sign for Raiders fans and company for their defensive line depth.