The Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up for the 2021 NFL Draft and we take a look at the state of the offensive line position group.
The Las Vegas Raiders made major changes to their offensive line after a 2020 season where the unit as a whole was wrecked with injury and underperformed especially in the run game. Three of the week one starters from 2020 are now gone, all traded instead of being cut and the Raiders have two additional picks in the 2021 draft as a result.
The upside of those moves is that one of the traded players, RT Trent Brown, was barely on the field anyway in 2020 and the Raiders already know what life is like without him. The other two starters, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson, have been on the team for several years and were models of consistency and health.
The Raiders have replaced Jackson and Hudson and technically have a replacement for Brown but many believe that the offensive line is the biggest position of need for the team coming in to the draft. With that in mind, we will take a dive in to the current state of the offensive line and when we expect the Raiders to address the position group in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas Raiders pre-2021 NFL Draft position review: Offensive Line
Starters – Kolton Miller, Richie Incognito, Andre James, Denzelle Good, Brandon Parker
This is the Raiders starting five offensive line based on several depth charts floating around the internet but there has been no official one released by the Raiders which is what really matters at the end of the day. That said, we can expect 3 of the 5 locked in with franchise LT Kolton Miller and veteran Richie Incognito returning and Andre James ready to step in to the starting center role after a big pay raise this offseason.
There are questions about whether Denzelle Good has returned to play guard or right tackle as he played both positions to fill in for the injured Incognito and Brown. Either way, that gives us 4 of the 5 positions filled with players who have been with the Raiders for some time and even right tackle is currently occupied by former 2018 third round pick Brandon Parker.
Parker is the current weak link, though Andre James is an unknown, as he has the physical tools to be a good right tackle and was drafted high enough to earn a chance, but has struggled so far. The Raiders may feel good about having Parker around as a swing tackle given he has been with the team for 3 years and can play both tackle positions but penciling him in as the starter would be a mistake.
There should be no learning curve in the offense for any of these 5 players and they could still technically be the starters come week one but we expect some shuffling to take place on the right side of the line in particular.
Las Vegas Raiders pre-2021 NFL Draft position review: Offensive Line
Depth – Jaryd Jones-Smith, John Simpson, Nick Martin, Erik Magnuson, Lester Cotton, Kamaal Seymour
The Raiders technically have a backup in place for all 5 of the offensive line positions with a good mix of players with experience like Nick Martin and Erik Magnuson and players just starting out their careers like Lester Cotton and Kamaal Seymour. A few of these names would likely be spending the majority of the season on the practice squad so there is definite room for upgrades here.
Nick Martin is the wildcard as he has played center his entire four-year career with the Texans but has said he can play guard and could be a starter at that position if the Raiders decide to move Good out to tackle. He signed a one-year deal for just $1.25 million so he is not guaranteed to be a starter but could certainly step in and perhaps even beat out Andre James for the center spot.
John Simpson is a good young player who stepped in as a rookie and started two games for the Raiders in 2020 and they could see him as a potential long term replacement for Richie Incognito. Simpson, along with Cotton and Seymour, give the Raiders a few players who may not be starters today but with the right development and coaching could be starters in the future.
Las Vegas Raiders pre-2021 NFL Draft position review: Offensive Line
Possible targets and what round to address the position
As discussed, the Raiders have all 5 starters on the offensive line ready to go if the season was to start tomorrow but still have room for upgrades at 4 of the 5 positions. Richie Incognito is almost 40, Andre James is an unknown, Denzelle Good is a solid player but can be upgraded, and Brandon Parker has not shown that he was worth a third-round pick so far.
Because of the need for upgrades to the starters and a major need for better backups, the Raiders have been linked to several of the top offensive line prospects in the draft. Depending on how the top 15 picks shake out, mocks have linked the Raiders to players like OT Teven Jenkins, IOL Alijah Vera-Tucker, and several other big-name players.
We expect the Raiders to pick a defensive player with the 17th pick but there would be little surprise if they chose an offensive tackle instead at that slot. This is a very strong class and there will be several first round-caliber players available in the second round as well but the Raiders could have their hearts set on one particular player. The team has not shied away from picking players they really want even if it goes against popular opinion.
The Raiders should have plenty of options if they choose to go defense early and address the offensive line in the third round or later as this is a very deep class for both interior lineman and tackles. Some of the later round prospects include the likes of Sam Cosmi from Texas, Trey Hill from Georgia, or Ryan Neuzil from Appalachian State.
If the Raiders are not sold on Brandon Parker as the starter at RT and want to keep Good at RG, we can expect them to use an early pick on a player they project as a week one starter. Even if Parker is the starter at first, they will want a player that they believe is ready to contribute right away as a swing tackle and could use a second or third round pick to fill that need.
The more likely scenario is the Raiders getting their starting RT in the first round and using the rest of their Day 2 picks to build up the defense. Or if they go defense first, then that second-round pick will almost surely be used to draft one of these young and talented offensive linemen.