The Raiders’ biggest camp question is sitting on the right side of the offensive line, and it needs a fast answer once the pads go on later this month.
Las Vegas can feel better about the unit than it did a year ago. Rick Dennison is viewed as a major upgrade over Brennan Carroll, and Tyler Linderbaum changes the outlook in a big way.
But that doesn’t mean Klint Kubiak can afford to let the line drift through camp without clarity. The Raiders need their starting five working together, not bouncing around while the preseason creeps closer.
A few spots look settled. Kolton Miller is expected at left tackle, Spencer Burford at left guard and Linderbaum at center. The uncertainty starts on the right side, where the Raiders have multiple options and not much time to sort them out.
At right guard, the competition includes Caleb Rogers, Jackson Powers-Johnson, rookie Trey Zuhn III and possibly Jordan Meredith. Right tackle is more straightforward, with DJ Glaze the likely starter unless second-year pro Charles Grant makes a real push in camp. Kubiak has said the ideal combination will show itself, and that’s exactly what the Raiders need to happen quickly.
There’s also outside concern about how that side holds up. ESPN’s Seth Walder recently ranked all 32 rosters and flagged the Raiders’ right side as an X factor. He pointed specifically to the possibility of Powers-Johnson and Glaze starting together, and the pass protection numbers he cited were not encouraging.
"The right side of the offensive line. This season needs to be about the development of Mendoza and figuring out who can contribute to a contender in the future.
The right side could be a weakness in pass protection if Jackson Powers-Johnson (guard) and DJ Glaze (tackle) are starting. Powers-Johnson has a 90.9% pass block win rate at guard (below average), and Glaze's 85.5% pass block win rate was in just the 6th percentile among tackles last season.
But if they can improve their pass protection, then the Raiders' offensive line will be in good shape to support Mendoza."
Powers-Johnson brings his own questions, mostly tied to injuries, availability and why each new staff seems to have something to sort out with him. Glaze, meanwhile, has to prove last season was the outlier and not the norm.
The pressure from behind them is real. Rogers flashed in limited action last season, Zuhn III arrives with plenty of hype, and Meredith has already shown he can be a steady piece for the Raiders. Grant also drew attention last year despite barely seeing the field, and Glaze did not do enough to make the job his by default.
That’s why camp matters so much here. The Raiders can’t let this drag deep into August. By the fourth or fifth practice, they should be moving toward a real answer so the group can start building chemistry before the preseason.
There’s enough talent in the mix that Kubiak and his staff should be able to land on a workable combination. The danger is in endless rotation and too many untested pairings. The more reps the starters get together, the better the line can become.
Powers-Johnson still looks like the favorite at right guard, and Glaze appears likely to hold down right tackle. But neither spot should be treated as settled until the competition plays out. The Raiders have options, and now they need to make the right call - then stick with it long enough for the unit to grow.
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