The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2026 NFL free agency period with a lengthy list of needs to address. Of course, the quarterback position was at the top, but that will almost certainly be addressed with the No. 1 pick in April's draft with the selection of Fernando Mendoza.
But adding talent and bolstering the depth of the offensive line was the clear second priority. The unit was easily the worst in the league last year, and John Spytek answered the call by forking out an absurd contract to center Tyler Linderbaum, even though he appears to be worth every penny.
While that signing was a great place to start, the Silver and Black still needed to add, in some people's opinion, two starters on the right side, and in others, a boatload of depth. Well, they added former San Francisco 49ers guard Spencer Burford into the fold on Tuesday evening to do one or the other.
After hosting Burford on a visit on Tuesday afternoon, the front office apparently couldn't wait to get a deal done.
Raiders sign former 49ers offensive lineman Spencer Burford
Burford was originally a fourth-round selection by the 49ers back in 2022, and he fits the Raiders' timeline at just 25 years old. He'll turn 26 in July, so he is solidly in the mold of what Las Vegas has brought in this offseason.
In his four NFL seasons, Burford has played in 56 games, starting 38. During his first two seasons, he played almost exclusively at right guard, and in the last two years, he has played almost exclusively at left guard. Burford can occasionally slide out to tackle, but not often.
Perhaps Burford is just a depth signing, and the plan is to roll with Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers, or a player taken early in next month's draft, in the starting lineup. But maybe Las Vegas also has plans to host yet another offensive line positional battle this offseason.
RELATED: Maxx Crosby just opened up about what went down in failed Raiders-Ravens trade
Klint Kubiak knows Burford from his year as the passing game coordinator in San Francisco, and although that wasn't Burford's best year, he did start 13 games during that campaign. Familiarity is always leaned upon by young coaches.
It will certainly be interesting to see the Raiders' offensive line groupings when the team takes the field on or around April 6, when they're allowed to begin offseason workout programs. Hopefully, it's not a contentious point all offseason, and the team quickly figures things out.
At the very least, Burford is a great depth piece with a lot of experience in outside zone blocking schemes, who knows Kubiak. At best, he could be a long-term starting guard. Another great move on paper by the duo of Spytek and Kubiak.