Pro Football Focus takes a variety of factors into account when compiling these They use their own grades from the previous season but supplement it with various projections about how a new player may fit in, how a young player may develop, or how an older player may lose a step.
As they mentioned, the success of an offensive line can determine how well an offense performs. This can have drastic implications when it comes to the success of a team as a whole, so it is important to note where the Raiders rank on this list.
Raiders OL ranks 19th
Zoltan Buday of PFF went through and ranked eery offensive line in the NFL and the Raiders came in at 19.
"There is a lot to be optimistic about with the Raiders' offensive line: Kolton Miller has developed into one of the NFL's best left tackles, center Andre James had a breakout 2023 season (ranked ninth among centers in PFF grade) and right tackle Thayer Munford Jr. was promising in his second season on a limited workload," Buday wrote.
"The Raiders also selected Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft."
I agree that this is a group currently showing a lot of promise. If the veterans continue to play at the level they did last year and the two new projected starters, rookie offensive guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, and third-year right tackle Thayer Munford Jr., develop at the rate the team expects them to, I could see this unit climbing the rankings as the season progresses.
However, that is a big if. While Kolton Miller is one of the best left tackles in the league currently, he struggled mightily during his rookie season. In fact, even though he battled through injury in his first NFL campaign, many fans were ready to replace him, call him a bust, and move on. Powers-Johnson has already dealt with some injuries during rookie minicamp and OTAs, so the hope is that he is not only ready to contribute from Day 1 but that remains healthy for the entire season.
If not, Cody Whitehair is a veteran backup who has spent time in Luke Getsy’s system, which makes him valuable to have as a depth piece. Andrus Peat is also a veteran who projects to be a backup and he reminds me a bit of Jermaine Eluemunor in the sense that he can slide around the line and play multiple positions. PFF neglected to mention Dylan Parham, who is also a versatile interior lineman who will start likely at right guard this year. While he did have the lowest PFF rating of the team’s starters last season, he played in every game and recorded the most offensive snaps on the roster.
I have faith in this unit to outperform their 19th ranking.