The Raiders acquired PFR’s top free agent, former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, when the negotiation period began on March 9. In order to secure Linderbaum, the Raiders proposed a three-year, $81MM contract—the largest ever for his position. Former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll regrets that they didn’t take a similar aggressive approach to bolster their offensive line in the previous offseason. Carroll’s brief tenure in Las Vegas resulted in a 3-14 record and the team allowing the highest number of sacks in the NFL (64).
While discussing the Raiders’ offensive line for 2025 with Rich Cimini of ESPN, Carroll remarked: “Our offensive players were overwhelmed the last couple of years. We needed to make more improvements than we did, but that didn’t occur in the draft or the offseason.”
Last offseason, the Raiders signed veteran interior lineman Alex Cappa to a two-year, $11MM deal, but they have already parted ways with him. Additionally, third-round rookies Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant made only 15 appearances combined, with Rogers starting all six games at right guard, while Grant played just 59 offensive snaps.
Seeking to enhance a line that Pro Football Focus rated the worst in the league, the Raiders are expected to target this area in the upcoming draft. According to one general manager, “They will draft a tackle in the first round and add a guard.” This statement came before the Raiders’ trade with the Ravens for Maxx Crosby collapsed. If it had been successful, the Raiders would have received two first-round picks for Crosby, including the 14th overall pick this year. They are now unlikely to land a Day 1 offensive tackle unless another first-round selection is acquired.
The Raiders are heavily favored to use their top pick, No. 1 overall, to select former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They do have a reliable left tackle in Kolton Miller, though he’s recovering from significant injuries that sidelined him for 13 games in 2025. Recovery updates indicate he should be ready for offseason training activities, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post.
At right tackle, DJ Glaze has started in 31 of 34 career games, including all 17 last year, but the Raiders may look to upgrade this position in the draft. They lost a starting guard when Dylan Parham joined the Jets in free agency. However, they added former 49er Spencer Burford to compete for the position. Rogers, Burford, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Jordan Meredith will vie for the two starting guard spots, which may change based on the draft results. It would be advantageous for the Raiders to strengthen their line for both Mendoza and second-year running back Ashton Jeanty.
Here’s additional news from the AFC:
- The Bengals experienced significant changes at linebacker in 2025, releasing Germaine Pratt and trading Logan Wilson—who has since retired—to the Cowboys. Rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter have taken over as the main linebackers, and it seems they will remain in those roles in 2026.
- Quarterback Justin Fields was initially set to earn a $20MM base salary in 2026, but after the Jets traded him to the Chiefs for a sixth-round pick, he will now earn $11MM. The deal includes an $8MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $3MM salary, as reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
- Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert has signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins valued at $1.4MM, featuring $1.26MM in guarantees. Despite the modest commitment, he could become critical to Miami’s receiving corps, which has lost both Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill this offseason. Tolbert recorded career-best statistics in 2024 with 49 receptions, 610 yards, and seven touchdowns, but saw a decline in production last season due to the Cowboys’ acquisition of George Pickens.
