The Las Vegas Raiders made a small roster move earlier this week, claiming former Seattle Seahawks guard Bryce Cabeldue. The footnote in that transaction was the waiving of Atonio Mafi, who was claimed by the Tennessee Titans. It's amazing what a difference a year makes for Las Vegas' OL.
In 2025, in part due to an abysmal offensive line coach in Brennan Carroll, but also because of poor personnel, the Raiders had the worst protection and run-blocking in the league. Under Klint Kubiak and Rick Dennison, and thanks to a few big offseason investments, that should no longer be the case.
And if one simply sees the moves that John Spytek and Co. have made this offseason and pairs that with where the Silver and Black's depth pieces from a year ago are now, then it paints a clear picture of just how much better the depth is on the offensive line for Las Vegas before the 2026 NFL season.
Raiders' fringe OL players are now valued by other NFL teams
As we just touched on, Mafi, who barely snuck onto the Raiders' initial 53-man team, was coveted enough that a team early in the waiver order took a chance on him. After being discarded by the Raiders, Mafi will immediately be on the Titans' active roster. He's not the only one, though.
Jordan Meredith, who was on the fringe of the team at cutdown time, was dealt to the New York Jets for a late-round pick swap. Again, it's not like Las Vegas is making out like a bandit with these deals or anything, but the fact that teams want the Raiders' scraps is an encouraging sign.
Neither Mafi nor Meredith was guaranteed to be on the Week 1 roster, and if they were, they certainly were not going to be called upon to play big roles. The fact that they are considered premier depth pieces to trade for or claim on waivers means that they can play. But Las Vegas just didn't need them.
Imagine telling Raider Nation in November of last season that not only was the offensive line depth improved in 2026, but good enough that we were casting off players who are on other active rosters. Knowing what we know now, too, about where Las Vegas' depth from last year ended up, it's a miracle.
Raiders' 2025 OL depth hasn't effectively transitioned into 2026
The first name that is surely coming to mind from last year's offensive line depth is Alex Cappa, who still has not been signed now that the season has begun. His career is on the ropes, if not already over, and he was playing legitimate snaps for the Raiders last year at guard and center.
Will Putnam also got some serious run for the Silver and Black toward the end of the 2025 season, and he's not even on the active roster anymore. Yes, he's still on the practice squad in Las Vegas, but the Raiders have made several efforts to upgrade from him, and unless disaster strikes, he won't play.
Stone Forsythe was also the starting left tackle for the last three quarters of the season, and he's not even starting on a Carolina Panthers team this year with both of its starting offensive tackles out. And of course, Mafi and Meredith, who both played last year, have been deemed not good enough to stay.
It's hard to look at this year's offensive line as anything but improved, from the starters to the depth to the coaching staff. Mafi and Meredith landing elsewhere and several of last year's pieces not finding roles in the NFL prove that more than anything.
Add us as a preferred source on Google