Las Vegas Raiders: 3 offensive tackles to target in 2022 free agency
By Alex Perl
The Las Vegas Raiders have a glaring need at offensive tackle heading into 2022, and here are a few free agents they should target.
In the offseason, the Raiders had the grand idea to dismantle the offensive line almost entirely and revamp it to look like a completely different unit.
Gone was Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson, traded to the Arizona Cardinals. Also moved was incumbent guard Gabe Jackson, moved in a trade to the Seattle Seahawks. The Raiders also moved on from right tackle Trent Brown, whose myriad of illnesses and injuries kept the high-priced tackle off the field for most of his stay as a Raider.
Las Vegas then rewarded center Andre James, an undrafted and virtually unknown player with a new contract extension, although he only had one start to his name before the extension.
The expectation for the Raiders in replacing Jackson was that the guard position would be solidified by the return of Denzelle Good, and the eventual return from injury by veteran guard Richie Incognito. Fast forward to Incognito never making an appearance, and Good tearing his ACL in the first game of the season, the expectations here clearly did not come to fruition.
We do not need to get into the disappointment of first-round selection Alex Leatherwood, which is known worldwide by this point and time. He played a major role in an offensive line that was beyond a disappointment in 2021.
So we enter the 2022 free agency with a bevy of offensive linemen available, however with James locked into his extension and Leatherwood likely sticking at guard, let us take a look at three offensive tackles that can help this Raider franchise and quarterback Derek Carr have a much more pleasant season going into 2022.