How Does Jordan Meredith Fit in Raiders' IOL Situation?

Meredith was a surprisingly good pickup for the Raiders off of waivers, and he earned a contract as an exclusive rights free agent. He is firmly in the mix to take one of the starting guard spots under a new coaching staff. 

So, where does Meredith fit in? 

The former undrafted free agent has at least earned the opportunity to compete for a starting job, despite a few additions to the interior offensive line. Veteran Alex Cappa, who knows General Manager John Spytek well, should also be in the mix. 

Dylan Parham, who has logged nearly 3,000 snaps in his young NFL career, figures to be one of the starters in a guard spot. That leaves one spot open that several players could compete for. 

Jackson Powers-Johnson will be the team’s starting center, and Meredith played mostly left guard last season. 

If the season started today, the Raiders’ starting offensive line would probably be Kolton Miller at left tackle, Meredith at left guard, Powers-Johnson at center, Parham at right guard, and DJ Glaze at right tackle. 

There will likely be competition at a few spots, so the offseason should be fun for offensive line purists to watch. 

Pete Carroll takes over as the head coach, and he loves to run the football. Expect the Raiders to pound the rock this season, especially up the middle. 

Ashton Jeanty will want to run behind a reliable interior offensive line, so Carroll must find the correct group of linemen to make that a reality. 

Meredith figures to be part of that group, as he earned a 78.4 run-blocking grade on PFF last season. That was the 14th-best grade among all guards in the NFL in 2024. 

Meredith surprised Raider Nation with his excellent play last season, and he returns to the team looking to build on that. Even if he does not start, he will be firmly in the mix for playing time.

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