How did we get here?
In an offseason where many felt the Las Vegas Raiders would focus on the defense, it was the offensive line that made the most headlines, as they traded away a ton of talent upfront. The biggest shock of them all was center Rodney Hudson, who is one of the best in the game at his position, and who still has a lot of good football left in him.
Outside of Hudson, the Raiders also traded away Gabe Jackson and Trent Brown, so if you are counting at home, that is sixty percent of their starting offensive line from Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season. They did release and bring back Richie Incognito, which was a great move, and added Nick Martin to battle with Andre James at center, while Denzelle Good also returned on a new deal.
While the Raiders should be set at four of the five starting spots, right tackle is a big issue heading into the draft, and many feel that is where the Raiders will go with their No. 17 overall pick. That would be the smart move in the first round, but in this draft class, they could be able to get a first-round talent with their second-round pick, which is No. 48 overall.
This draft class is that loaded when it comes to offensive tackle, so it may be wise for the Raiders to wait until the second before getting their right tackle.