Heading into his sixth NFL season, Kwity Paye has the opportunity to reinvent himself in Las Vegas.
Paye came into the league with high expectations as a 2021 first-round pick out of Michigan, sharing his alma mater with Raiders General Manager John Spytek. In his tenure with the Indianapolis Colts, he managed to become a focal point of their defense with 30.5 sacks in 74 career starts.
While his quarterback sack totals are satisfactory, his bread and butter as a defensive lineman is as a run defender. He has 37 career tackles for loss along with 22 run stops in 2025, per Next Gen Stats.
"Aggressive, powerful, setting edges, getting to quarterback [with] bull rush," Kwity Paye describing his play style to Raiders.com.
All of those attributes put him on pace to raise his level of play, arguably joining the most talented defensive line he'll play with up to this point in his career.
For starters, he's expected to play alongside five-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby, who's proven to be an elite run stopping edge rusher since entering the league. With Crosby garnering so much attention from opposing offenses, Paye can emerge into the anchor on the other side of the line that No. 98 – and the Raiders defense – has been yearning for.
"It's going to be crazy, man," said Paye of the chance to play with Crosby. "Just seeing him pursue and just his relentless pursuit throughout the down, just being to play with him and get after it."
"I'm athletic enough to play anywhere on the line, so anywhere these guys need me, and I'm going to go out there and play," he added. "Playing opposite of Maxx is going to be great. And yeah, just anywhere they need me."
Paye also mentioned teaming back up with Jonah Laulu, who was drafted by the Colts in 2024. The waiver wire pickup for the Raiders totaled four sacks, eight tackles for loss and five pass deflections in 2025. With new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard implementing a base 3-4 defense, Paye could potentially line up in between Laulu and edge rusher Malcolm Koonce who re-signed with the Raiders this offseason. Koonce has 12.5 sacks in his last two seasons played, missing the entirety of the 2024 season with a knee injury.
Behind Paye, the Raiders also signed a couple of off-ball linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker that should also take some pressure off the defensive line as well.
"It was great after I signed seeing everyone else that were signing. I was like, 'Man, this team's about winning. Serious about getting back.' Just seeing all the guys that we picked up, extremely excited to play with them and get things going."
As for Paye reinventing himself, he certainly won't be straying away from anything he's done that's led to success in his career. If anything, he's looking forward to the new role he'll be embodying within. A role he'll be more than happy playing, if he leads to one thing.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win," Paye said emphatically. "I'm willing to put all my teammates first, I'm willing to sacrifice whatever to make sure we get the win and succeed."
2026 Free Agent Tracker
Complete coverage for monitoring all of the Raiders' free agent activity. Be sure to check back for official news and transactions.
View photos from the arrival of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 free agency class at headquarters.
Kicker Matt Gay signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Kicker Matt Gay signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye before a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor before a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
The Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Members of the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Members of the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
