The Las Vegas Raiders have lacked any stability over recent years, and, as a result, have not found any sustained success. Head coaches and general managers have been cycled through nearly every offseason, which has left the roster in tatters at times.
However, a few strong players have transcended regimes and found valuable roles no matter who has been in charge for the Silver and Black. Cornerstones like Maxx Crosby and Kolton Miller are on this list and get most of the praise, but guard Dylan Parham should be in this category as well.
Unfortunately, new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll went out and signed veteran guard Alex Cappa to a two-year deal this offseason. Cappa and Spytek spent time together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their presence has put Parham's job in jeopardy.
Dylan Parham could lose his starting job with Raiders in 2025
According to multiple reports during Raiders OTAs and mandatory minicamp, the team was employing Cappa as a starter at right guard and rotating between Parham and Jordan Meredith at left guard. This means that Parham's starting position is far from secure ahead of training camp.
Parham was drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Raiders, and he has started 48 of a possible 51 games since being selected. He missed two contests last season, but other than that, he has been a stalwart on the team's offensive line regardless of what has happened around him.
Last season, he ranked 24th out of 136 qualifying guards according to Pro Football Focus and earned a grade of 74.3. He ranked 18th in run-blocking in 2024 as well, despite the Raiders having the worst rushing attack in the league.
RELATED: Raiders' biggest breakout player could be in for Pro Bowl season after solid rookie year
Cappa, by contrast, is on the downslope of his career. Once a Super Bowl winner with the Buccaneers, his production took a dramatic dip last season with the Cincinnati Bengals. According to PFF, he earned a grade of just 50.5, which ranked 111th out of 136 guards.
The ideal configuration for the Raiders would be to start Parham and Meredith at guard alongside Jackson Powers-Johnson at center. However, it seems like the battle will be between Parham and Meredith, who finished with the 10th-highest PFF grade among guards last season.
It will be interesting to see how this preseason battle shakes out, but it has become abundantly clear that Parham is entering training camp with his starting job on the line ahead of the 2025 NFL season.