Analyzing the Raiders Interior OL entering the 2022 offseason

Analyzing the Raiders Interior OL entering the 2022 offseason

Returning Players

The Raiders do return all of their starters who played the majority of last season. Leatherwood returns as do center Andre James and third-year guard John Simpson. Leatherwood will be starting at guard or tackle next season, it’s just a matter of where the Raiders deem him a better fit.

James also will likely return as a starter after gaining experience and finishing the season strong. James showed his talent in all facets of the game and should only improve after gaining experience. His new contract also makes it unlikely the team will move on from him this season.

The other starter returning is Simpson. After being drafted, the Raiders hoped that Simpson would develop into a starter by his second season. After some shaky spots starting in 2020, the Raiders opted to return guards Richie Incognito and Denzelle Good as starters.

Simpson had moments in 2021 as a 17-game starter but was ultimately pretty shaky. The experience Simpson gained was valuable and could prove to be key for his development, but based on his play last year, he should not be handed a starting spot.

In all likelihood, Simpson will compete with Good for a starting position, but would be a top backup based on experience. Good played very well in 2020 which earned him an extension and a starting job in 2021. The old Raiders brass had hoped Simpson would beat out one of Incognito or Good but ultimately did not.

Good tore his ACL in Week 1 and should return at full health. The Raiders could make Good a starter at either guard position, a versatile depth piece, or a cap casualty. However, based on Good’s play in 2020, he seems destined to return to a starting role. The Raiders also return a bunch of depth, mostly practice squad level, but depth nonetheless.

Jordan Merideth has been signed recently by the new regime and as a 2021 undrafted free agent doesn’t have much standing on the roster. They also return guards  Lester Cotton, who has been with the Raiders’ practice squad since 2019 as well as Jeremiah Poutasi who has bounced around NFL rosters since 2015 as a former third-round pick and has some experience.

The Raiders have more end of roster depth than most teams. Hroniss Grasu returns as a backup center option after spending 2021 on the practice squad. Grasu has started 16 games in his career and could replace Nick Martin next season.