Las Vegas Raiders: Could a UDFA rookie crack the starting offensive line?

The Las Vegas Raiders added Dalton Wagner and McClendon Curtis as undrafted free agent rookies, and either could make a real impact in Year 1.

Going into the 2023 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders had a few holes on their offense that they needed to address. One was tight end, which they addressed by trading up on Day 2 to select Michael Mayer No. 35 overall, and the other was upfront along the offensive line.

Though Las Vegas selected nine players in the 2023 NFL Draft, not a single one was an offensive lineman, which was quite shocking. Instead, the Raiders decided to address the offensive line with a few undrafted rookies, including McClendon Curtis, and Dalton Wagner.

While both players were not selected, they were both seen as potential steals for the Raiders franchise and will have more than enough opportunity to not only make the team's 53-man roster out of camp but possibly even crack the starting lineup.

Raiders offensive line position battles to heat up this summer

The Raiders have a few positions on the offensive line that are set in stone, like Andre James at center, and Kolton Miller at left tackle. The rest is up in the air as we inch towards the summer months, though in his second season, Dylan Parham is likely going to be a starting offensive guard after a solid rookie campaign.

Alex Bars started 14 games for Las Vegas last season and will begin camp atop the depth chart at one of the guard positions, and after re-signing in free agency, Jermaine Eluemunor will be penciled in at right tackle. However, neither of those starting jobs are locked in, paving the way for Wagner and Curtis to make a statement this summer.

Making an NFL roster as a UDFA is very tough to do, but the Raiders are thin along the offensive line, making it a soft landing spot for both Wagner and Curtis. The Raiders must be better up front in 2023, and the process of figuring out the starting offensive line should last all through the summer months.