Former Jaguars first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson is signing with the Las Vegas Raiders after a brief stint with the Carolina Panthers. This article covers Chaisson's journey in the NFL, his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, his production over four seasons, and the potential impact of his move to the Raiders. It also highlights a potential 'revenge game' against the Jaguars in Week 16 of the 2024 season.
In a significant move just ahead of the 2024 NFL season, former Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson is expected to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders. The deal comes shortly after Chaisson's release from the Carolina Panthers following his stint in training camp.
Chaisson, the Jaguars' first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft at No. 20 overall, is now set to continue his career with one of Jacksonville’s AFC rivals. The Raiders, looking to bolster their defensive line, have added Chaisson to their roster for the foreseeable future.
The signing could set up a reunion, as the Raiders are scheduled to face the Jaguars in Week 16 of the 2024 season. A potential revenge game is brewing, with Chaisson lining up against his former team when the Jaguars travel west in December.
A Rocky Start in Jacksonville
Chaisson's time with the Jaguars was marked by inconsistency and injuries. In his four seasons with the team, Chaisson started 11 games and appeared in 57, recording five sacks, 73 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 23 quarterback hits, and two pass deflections. While his production was modest, he showed flashes of potential, especially during the 2023 season, when he recorded a career-high two sacks.
His rookie season in 2020 saw him start three games, playing 51% of the defensive snaps and tallying one sack and nine quarterback hits. However, his snap count dipped in 2021, with Chaisson playing just 39% of the defensive snaps, finishing the season with one sack and four quarterback hits in 15 games.
The 2022 season proved to be a challenging one for Chaisson, as injuries limited him to only nine games. He played just 18% of the defensive snaps that year, managing one sack and two quarterback hits as other players, like Dawuane Smoot and Arden Key, took on more prominent roles in the Jaguars’ pass rush.
A Rebound in 2023
Despite a turbulent tenure, Chaisson’s 2023 season marked a slight resurgence in his production. With Smoot recovering from an Achilles injury and Key departing for the Tennessee Titans, Chaisson saw an increase in his workload, playing 25% of the defensive snaps and finishing the season with two sacks and eight quarterback hits in 17 games.
Still, Chaisson never quite lived up to the expectations placed on him as a first-round pick. His departure from Jacksonville was followed by a short-lived stint with the Carolina Panthers during training camp before being cut ahead of Week 1 of the 2024 season.
Potential Impact with the Raiders
Chaisson's signing with the Raiders offers him an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to make an immediate impact in the team's pass rush. Whether his stay with the Raiders will be a temporary solution as the team gets healthy along the defensive line or if he becomes a longer-term fixture remains to be seen.
Chaisson joins a Raiders defense looking to improve its pass-rush presence, and his experience in Jacksonville could prove valuable as he settles into his new role. With the Raiders scheduled to face the Jaguars in December, all eyes will be on Chaisson as he looks to make his mark against his former team.
The 2020 Draft Class: A Look Back
Chaisson was one of two first-round picks the Jaguars made in 2020, selections acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams. The other first-rounder was running back Travis Etienne, who has since become one of Jacksonville’s key offensive players.
Of the 12 players drafted by the Jaguars in 2020, only DaVon Hamilton and Daniel Thomas remain on the team in 2024. The signing of Chaisson by an AFC rival like the Raiders serves as a reminder of how fleeting the NFL can be, with rosters and allegiances shifting every season.
For K'Lavon Chaisson, his journey continues in Las Vegas, where he'll look to resurrect his career and prove his worth as a former first-round pick.