The Las Vegas Raiders desperately needed change this year after the lackluster campaign they put together under Antonio Pierce last season. Owner Mark Davis recognized this, and he employed the talents of head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek to get the job done.
However, in their first offseason at the helm, they were relatively inactive during free agency. They did trade for quarterback Geno Smith and fork out a ton of cash to extend star defensive end Maxx Crosby, but they let several defensive starters leave and did not spend more than $8 million per year on a free agent.
By doing so, Carroll and Spytek have proven that they are doing things their way. Gone are the days of overpaying players on the open market, and no longer will the team settle for good enough. The new regime had predicated itself on competition, and not even the team's best players are immune to this.
Raiders surprisingly already looking at replacements for promising rookie
Last season, D.J. Glaze was a pleasant surprise for the Raiders, earning a starting role at right tackle after being drafted in the third round. However, despite his above-average play, his job is far from safe ahead of the NFL Draft.
"I wouldn’t say it’s a great draft for offensive linemen," Tafur wrote. "But there did seem to be a gleam in general manager John Spytek’s eye when he talked about drafting a right tackle to compete with DJ Glaze."
Tafur brought up several players that Spytek may have an eye on, like Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr., Purdue's Marcus Mbow, William & Mary's Charles Grant, or Texas' Cameron Williams. While none of these players are necessarily first-round talents, as Glaze demonstrated last season, every player on the roster should be given a fair chance to compete.
Related: Raiders private visits indicate which positions they're targeting in the NFL Draft
There is a chance, too, that the Raiders select either Missouri's Armand Membou or LSU's Will Campbell at No. 6. Both of these players are expected to be day-one starters at offensive tackle, which would threaten Glaze's livelihood.
Obviously, Glaze was far from a top-tier offensive tackle last season, so if an upgrade is available, the team should almost always take it. But that equation becomes a bit more complicated when a player is so young and has more potential to tap into.
At the end of the day, this team will be constructed in the way that Spytek and Carroll see fit, and the best player will play at each position. But after earning a starting role last offseason, it's hard not to feel for Glaze if they seek out a replacement so early in his NFL career.