Andre James was on track to be one of the top centers available in free agency. Instead, he will remain in place with the Raiders, as his agency announced on Sunday.
Providing further details, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report that James will receive $24M on a three-year agreement. Of that figure, $16M is guaranteed. As a result, the 26-year-old will move into seventh in terms of annual compensation amongst centers.
James was certainly due a raise after his third year as a starter. In a contract year, James delivered a career year, grading out as the league’s ninth-best center, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He displayed a well-rounded game, grading out as the eighth-best pass-blocking center and the 11th-best run-blocking center. He has had injuries force him to miss a game or two in the past two seasons, but for the most part, James has been extremely reliable.
Getting this deal worked out before free agency will allow the Raiders to maintain stability at a critical spot on the O-line. The move also notably means Dylan Parham will remain at guard moving forward after he faced uncertainty about his future usage. James and Parham will be major factors in Vegas’ ability to deliver a strong season up front in 2024 and beyond.
James, Parham, and starting right guard Greg Van Roten anchored an offensive line that saw improvement last year but still has a ways to go. Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor still find themselves headed toward free agency, but with Thayer Munford showing an ability to step up and start at times this season, James was the clear priority. With James now under a new deal, the Raiders can now shift focus to remaining free agents.
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