Raiders Opinion: Offensive Line Questions Abound

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The Las Vegas Raiders and their season will come down to a very aspect: the offensive line.

The Raiders offensive line received solid reviews from various sources. Vegas brings back four of their five starters from a year ago. The team said goodbye to guard/tackle Alex Bars who started 14 of 15 games last year. Bars did look better than last season but he was beaten out. 

Lateral move?

Bars gets replaced by veteran guard Greg Van Roten. Van Roten has bounced around the league for a few years, but he started four games in 16 appearances for the Bills. Van Roten is a bit older than Bars but he already looks like an upgrade at least at the point of attack. He has never graded out more than average, according to PFF. Vegas needs Van Roten to help with double teams and pick up stunts better than Bars. 

Continued Development 

At the other guard position, Dylan Parham returns as starter. Parham flashed all along the interior offensive line last year. He also looks stronger and more comfortable this year. He should take the next step as a run blocker naturally. The added continuity around him and his position stability should help improve as a pass blocker. Playing between Miller and center Andre James should help Parham avoid any sophomore slump. 

Contract Years

James is back starting at center. It’s somewhat surprising he offered the rare cap flexibility this roster needed. They could have saved $5 million in cap space by cutting or trading James. Instead, the Raiders found other ways by restructuring several players. James started slow last year after he suffered a concussion. He did get better as the year went on. There is no doubt he is a solid starter. Let’s see if he can take the next step this year. James has yet to crack the top-20 at his position, per PFF. His contract is up after this season, so now is the time for him to make that jump in his third year starting. James is only 26 and could play himself into a big contact.

Cash In

Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor stayed for the Raiders for a $3 million cap hit. Vegas got great value considering he started 17 games and played almost every position. He finished as the 21st best tackle last year. At 6’4, I still think he’s best as a guard. He would benefit from seeing fewer speed rushers. 

Tackle Depth

Maybe Eluemunor will move inside if Thayer Munford or Justin Herron take the next step at right tackle. Both looked solid in preseason. It also helps that Eluemunor is versatile enough to play both the guard and tackle positions. Eluemunor is 28 and also on an expiring contract. Herron missed most of last year due to injury but he knows the scheme from his days with the Patriots. Herron is a veteran swing tackle. 

Making Strides

Munford started a few games last year and stepped up. His starts were better than some of the games where he came in for spot duty. Munford also came in as a blocking tight end. He still needs to play with more pad level in the run game. Munford was the 52nd highest graded tackle last year, per PFF. More experience and better conditioning should help him find more consistency this year.

Improvement

I honestly feel better about the Raiders backup tackles than the past few seasons. Head Coach Josh McDaniels has admitted he likes tinkering with the offensive line early in the season. Don’t be surprised if there are some changes made, especially if Van Roten struggles. The Raiders really don’t have a lot of experience at backup guard spots. It remains to be seen if guards Netane Muti, Jordan Meredith or Hroniss Grasu can contribute along the interior offensive line.

The Next Step?

Finally, we have the elder statesman. Kolton Miller has yet to make a Pro Bowl but he’s been a consistent left tackle since entering the league. Say what you want about players that went after him in the draft, but the Raiders desperately need that consistency at left tackle. Miller finished as the sixth best graded tackle, according to PFF. He could also take another step this year, especially if he starts dominating and finishing blocks in the run game. 

The Catalyst

Overall, the Raiders offensive line play is really going to depend on the play calling and the rest of the offense. Running back Josh Jacobs is a great runner and found ways to make plays even in spite of his o-line. That was particularly true to begin the season. However, the o-line got slightly better as the season went on. This year, Jacobs could also be fresh or rusty depending on how he worked out during his holdout. I’d expect he’ll be good to go after a few plays of full contact Week One. The point is, the Raiders offensive line should be able to create more lanes for Jacobs to build on last season. Strong o-line play will also help Jacobs smooth out his transition from a holdout.

Benefits

In the pass, Vegas should get the ball out quicker this year. That suits Garoppolo best based on his career in New England San Francisco. He needs to get the ball out to his playmakers. The offensive line should also benefit from the ball coming out fast. Having James healthy at center and more familiarity across the board should help the Raiders identify blitzes. Garoppolo is also familiar enough to thrive in this scheme. He needs consistent line play to execute. 

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No Time

Either way, it won’t find any success without their offensive line. Vegas gets T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in Week Three. They visit the Chargers’ Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack in Week Four. Vegas can neutralize those edge rushers a bit with an excellent run game. Fans should know what the Raiders feature on the offensive line by the end of the fourth game. They will also have played two divisional games which could impact their postseason prospects. They found ways to run the ball versus the Chargers but Los Angeles gets Bosa and Mack both healthy this year. Vegas also failed to run the ball versus the Steelers. Pittsburgh was one of the best teams versus the Raiders run last year. 

Sleeper Matchups

Even the Buffalo Bills in Week Two without Von Miller, won’t be a slouch due to their deep rotation. The Denver Broncos also feature a remade pass rush that includes Frank Clark, Randy Gregory and Zach Allen. Those games should be nice ramp ups to help the offensive line find a rhythm. Both the Bills and Broncos have the speed inside to give the Raiders guards problems versus the pass. Again, it will be on the quarterback to get the ball out. The line also needs to communicate.

Step Up

Moreover, running the ball helps keep those pass rushers at bay. That’s where Kolton Miller, Andre James and Jermaine Eluemunor have to really dominate and make themselves some money. Miller and James especially need to prove they can impose their will in the running game if they want to take the next step in their respective careers. Parham has already exceeded expectations as a starter last year. This year he should feed everyone else. The second-year player should benefit from playing with a healthy Miller and James. He should become more consistent with pass blocking too. 

No Slow Starts

It also would not surprise me if the Raiders ran the ball even more this year, even though they have more receiving weapons. The run-to-pass ratio will probably vary every game but Vegas should rely on the run to start the season. 

Helping Hands and Feet

Jimmy G. and the Raiders offense really depends on the offensive line to get them started and keep them upright. This is how the Raiders can build leads. Their defense will benefit from leads because they can rush the passer more and take chances in the secondary. Otherwise, a slow start could result in some quick changes along the offensive line. All of which could develop into a long season. 

Overview

The Raiders will go as their offensive line goes. They are the only question on the offensive line, outside of the new quarterback. The new quarterback needs a great offensive line. And the o-line needs a quarterback who can get the ball out quick. That’s the Raiders’ only path to really reaching their potential on offense and as a team.