The Las Vegas Raiders underwent a massive overhaul this offseason when owner Mark Davis replaced Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco with Pete Carroll and John Spytek.
With an entire coaching staff to fill out and 27 players set to hit the open market, several large-scale roster changes were expected to occur before the first season of the Carroll and Spytek experiment. The team entered the offseason with major needs on the offensive side of the ball including a quarterback, a running back, and a top-flight wide receiver.
But bolstering your offensive line is never a poor choice. The new regime has been adamant that they will build this team through the trenches this offseason, and sometimes, a player being released can be a form of addition by subtraction.
Las Vegas Raiders plan to release longtime C Andre James
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Friday that the Raiders planned to release center Andre James when the new league year begins on March 12.
After starting 48 straight games from 2021-2023, James only started 11 games in 2024 after being benched at one point during the season in favor of rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson. Therefore, this move does not come as a surprise, but James was one of the last players on the roster who had played with the team while they were in Oakland, so many fans have a soft spot for the former undrafted free agent.
James signed a three-year, $24 million contract before the 2024 season but was unable to recreate his previous success under Pierce and his new offensive line coach. As a result of the move, the team will save $1.49 million in cap space, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic.
New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly coached James at UCLA in 2018, so some felt that because of their connection, James might hold on to his roster spot for the time being. That turned out not to be the case, as the team is prepared to release him within the week.
There is still a chance that Las Vegas could find a trade partner for the veteran center. Earlier this week, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they were releasing wide receiver Christian Kirk, but they later struck a deal with the Houston Texans. If the Raiders have the opportunity to receive any compensation for James, they will likely jump at the opportunity.
Expect to see interior offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson slide into the full-time center role this season as a result of this move. Last year, he split time at left guard and center, but without James, and due to the addition of guard Alex Cappa, the second-year player should be little-to-no competition to be the team's starting center next season.