The Las Vegas Raiders did not invest much in their offensive line this offseason after the group had a strong showing in 2024 despite a poor overall effort on that side of the ball. The starting lineup remained intact from the Antonio Pierce era; only depth was added to bolster the room.
Somehow, however, the group had arguably been the worst in football through three weeks of the 2025 NFL season. Most have blamed new offensive line coach Brennan Carroll -- the son of head coach Pete Carroll -- for the unit's struggles.
But rookie running back Ashton Jeanty missed a handful of gaping holes in his first three NFL games, and quarterback Geno Smith held on to the ball too long at times and took unnecessary sacks. In Week 4 against the Chicago Bears, however, something changed.
Raiders offensive line plays big role in Ashton Jeanty's breakout game
Even though the team suffered a tough 25-24 loss, the breakout of Ashton Jeanty was the story of the day. The offensive line turned in its best performance of the year and helped Jeanty finish with 138 rushing yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.
They also kept Smith clean and helped Jeanty catch two passes for 17 yards, both of which went for touchdowns. While the sixth overall pick will get plenty of praise for becoming just the fourth rookie in franchise history to have a three-touchdown game, it wouldn't have been possible without a tremendous day from the offensive line.
Entering Week 4, the offensive line was tied for the second-most sacks allowed in the league with 12. Meanwhile, the rushing attack was averaging just 3.1 yards per carry and 72.3 yards per game, both of which were the third-fewest in the league.
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The unit cleaned up all of those issues on Sunday, as, despite Smith's poor game, they did not allow a sack and hardly allowed him to face any pressure. More importantly, they were the catalyst behind a massive day for the running game, as the Raiders finished with a season-high 240 rushing yards while averaging 7.7 yards per carry.
While Jeanty provided most of the production, it didn't matter who was running the ball behind the offensive line. Raheem Mostert, who had been a healthy scratch in each of the first three games, chipped in with 62 rushing yards on four carries. Meanwhile, Smith ran the ball four times for 31 yards, while Tre Tucker added nine rushing yards on two carries.
The return of Jackson Powers-Johnson helped in a major way, as he was moving defenders around all day. Additionally, Dylan Parham had his best showing, as he was excellent at creating running lanes for the Raiders' ball carriers.
The attention will now shift to how Stone Forsythe can fill in for Kolton Miller as the veteran deals with a high ankle sprain. If he can continue to build on what Miller and the unit started in Week 4, this group may quickly turn from a weakness into a strength.