Raiders Opinion: Offensive Line Performed Better Than Most Hoped

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With playoff hopes but low-performance expectations, the Las Vegas Raiders saw their offensive line actually improve in 2022.

The Raiders’ offensive line began the year much differently than it started. Vegas began the year with John Simpson and Lester Cotton. Those two starting guards are not even on the roster anymore. They dealt with injuries to every position at some point in the season. Andre James missed a couple of games with a concussion. It took James some time to get acclimated again. He recovered but never took that next step as a very good starter.

The Anchor

Left tackle Kolton Miller dealt with several injuries. Miller was the most consistent player on the line but even he had some bad plays. Some of the bad performance was on the quarterback holding the ball. Rookie Dylan Parham started the year hot. The third-round pick looked like a steal by starting at all the internal line positions. He cooled off as the season progressed but Parham showed he is a capable starter.

The Standout

Jermaine Eluemunor was quietly the group’s MVP. He went from starting the season in a position battle to making starts at left tackle, right tackle, and guard. Eluemunor is limited physically but he plays hard. The solid veteran also enters free agency. Alex Bars converted from tackle to guard. Bars got better as the season went on. He too was limited versus good and great players but he instantly upgraded the Raiders’ double-teams. Bars helped kickstart the run game.

Lesson #1

Rookie Thayer Munford showed some flashes too. The Raiders used him as a right tackle and extra tight end. His best game was actually his start. Munford has the size and mobility to anchor the right side. He needs to clean up his technique and pad level but the aggression and size is there. What did we learn from 18 games watching the offensive line? The bottom line, the last front office group could not draft.

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Lesson #2

I was critical when the team started the season by cutting the right tackle they drafted in the first round only a year before. Alex Leatherwood did not even play for the Bears until the final month. I was skeptical when the team stopped playing John Simpson in the middle of the season for no apparent reason. Simpson joined the Ravens but did not even play. Clearly, the Raiders last front office had no idea what it was doing up front. Parham and Munford already proving this group are much better at evaluating offensive linemen.

Parham Emergence

Dylan Parham made the Pro Football Writers all-rookie team. He flashed ability at all three inside line positions. His quickness and feet make up for what he lacks in size and length. Parham is good at getting his head across and positioning his body between the ball carrier and the defender. Headed into his second year, Parham needs to clean up his blitz pickup. He needs to keep his eyes more on stunts. Parham also sometimes plays high. Longer and stronger defensemen can give him problems. He can clean all up in the offseason. Either way, the Raiders’ third-round pick looks like a real player to build around. I’d honestly like to see him at center full-time, especially with a new quarterback. Starting center Andre James’ contract is also moveable.

Vegas Value

Again, Parham looked good. Munford flashed some ability. The Raiders also signed Alex Bars and re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor at bargain prices. Vegas proved they can find value upfront. Bars and Eluemunor aren’t great. Bars can get too skinny of a base when driving people off the ball. He also struggled with leverage moving inside. Quicker tackles also bested him as did those with great hands. He did get better as the year went on. Not bad for signing him midseason. Eluemunor battled through injuries and played both tackle and some guard in 2023. He too struggled with length, leverage, quickness, and strong hands. However, he was solid and also got better as the year went on. Eluemunor also held his own on the blindside when Miller was out. It remains to be seen if the Raiders keep those two veterans who will become free agents. Either way, we know they can find value. They still have some questions to answer.

Au Revoir, Andre?

With a new quarterback slated to start next year and Parham proving he can anchor the center of the line, the Raiders are tasked with figuring out what to do with Andre James. James was one of the most consistent linemen. He had ups and downs last year, as did the whole line. Either way, the Raiders can save over $5 million by cutting or trading him. James might find himself a casualty. He is one of the more movable deals. Moving hin makes sense if the Raiders are looking to add a star QB, resign Josh Jacobs, and or add some playmakers on defense. They need as much flexibility as possible. Plus, all those rumors about the locker room being split after Carr’s benching. My bet is that James was one of the guys who had his Carr’s back. I’m sure James is over it by now but this front office did not draft or sign James. There is no attachment there, even if James is solid to good. Unfortunately, that means James’ days in silver and black may be numbered.

Kolton Miller, Elite?

Miller is the highest-drafted, best, and most consistent player on the offensive line. We’ve known that for a couple of years now. The starting left tackle had more good games than not. However, he still has not made the leap from good to great. Miller has the tools and experience to be among the best tackles in the league. Unfortunately, no one looks at him that way. Miller can battle with the best of them. I still would like to see him do more to really assert his dominance versus lesser opponents. He also needs to be more of an anchor in the run game, which is something we’ve said about him for a long-time. Miller is a very good player but we are still waiting for him to make that jump into elite territory.

Guards Needed

Rarely do teams cut multiple guards in the middle of the season, especially when their starter Bars were out. Yet, that’s what the Raiders did when they cut John Simpson, Lester Cotton, and a few others. The guard position needs to be addressed this offseason. I like moving Eluemunor to the inside. He won’t have to worry about speed off the edge as much. They would have to re-sign him, though. Otherwise, they should obviously look at the draft. Even if they keep Parham at guard, they need some depth at right guard. Expect them to go guard again in the middle to late rounds.

Forward Thinking

Last year, Josh McDaniels tried to sell us on testing offensive lines through the beginning of the season. Vegas started several different offensive lines like the Pats always do, McDaniels claimed early on. Still, the Raider’s offense featured a top-15 passer and the NFL’s leading rusher. They battled through injuries and lots of turnovers. At one point, it looked like Jacobs was running in spite of his blocking. Other times it looked like the QB holding the ball was costing them sacks. They rebounded and got better as the year went on. Not much more you can ask for. Still, I wish I felt more stable about this group. Miller was good and James was solid. Parham and Eluemunor proved they can start. Bars and Munford showed they can be rotational players. As a collective, they got better in almost every game.

Overview

Yet, two of those guys are rookies. Two of them are slated to hit free agency. Two of them are rookies. Any of them could change positions. Thus, the Raiders’ offensive line enters the offseason with almost as many questions as at the beginning of the season. We should believe in Miller but anyone can get moved as this team tries to make cap space to keep Jacobs, sign a QB, and beef up the defense.