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Raiders 2022 two-deep analysis and predictions: Offensive line

By Alexander Monfreda

HENDERSON, NEVADA - JUNE 07: Offensive linemen Hroniss Grasu #65 and Alex Bars #64, and guards Lester Cotton Sr. #67 and John Simpson #76 of the Las Vegas Raiders warm up during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 07, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
HENDERSON, NEVADA - JUNE 07: Offensive linemen Hroniss Grasu #65 and Alex Bars #64, and guards Lester Cotton Sr. #67 and John Simpson #76 of the Las Vegas Raiders warm up during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 07, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 02: Andre James #68 of the Las Vegas Raiders is seen after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 2, 2022, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Raiders 2022 two-deep analysis and predictions: Offensive line

C: Andre James

2021 was a wild year for Andre James, who entered his first year as a starting player.

Starting the initial six weeks of the ’21 season, James posted a PFF grade of 40.8. Part of this grade was due to a consistent streak of poor snaps to start the Raiders’ year, and another part was an atrocious 38.1 run-blocking grade. If James wasn’t snapping the ball over Carr’s head, he was likely seen being beaten in the trenches.

Somewhere in the middle of the season, everything changed for the center in Las Vegas.

After starting the first six weeks with that 40.8 grade, James earned a grade of 77.6 for the following 9-weeks – A number that ranked 6th-highest leaguewide in this timespan. As PFF put it, “Andre James has emerged as one of the better centers in the league”.

The situation revolving around the Raiders’ offensive line did James no favors during his first starting campaign. To his left and right, at the guard positions, stood two first-year starters, John Simpson and Alex Leatherwood. These two put up PFF grades of 45.0 and 52.6 respectively last season, committing a combined 24 penalties.

The chips are stacked better for James this year, with Denzelle Good healthy, and newcomer Dylan Parham, who was ranked #67 on PFF’s big board for the ’22 NFL Draft. There isn’t much competition either, leading to an unexpected option as the Raiders’ no.2 center.

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