Raiders' Biggest Offseason Focus Now Has Amplified Pressure

Raiders' Offense

The Raiders addressed those issues by adding Rick Dennison as the team's offensive line coach. They handed the well-respected Dennison one of the best offensive linemen in the league when they signed veteran center Tyler Linderbaum. They added him to a line in desperate need of talent.

Las Vegas' offensive line also has one of the best left tackles in the league, Kolton Miller, who is returning from an injury that kept him out most of last season. The Raiders believe those two will help stabilize the unit.

"I think we ran it very well in the preseason, and that's a good starting point. But we have a long way to go. Certainly, we're excited with Tyler Linderbaum, and what he's brought to that room from a leadership standpoint, a professional standpoint, but also a play standpoint,” Raiders general manager Spytek said earlier this week.

“And like every position group, we're just looking for constant improvement and embracing the coaching and understanding a new scheme. That's hard for those guys to understand another new scheme. But I think they're all leaning into it well, and I'm excited about the track that they're on. But again, they have to go earn it here in a week and a half." 

Cautious Optimism

One of the Raiders' biggest problems has been their offensive line. Las Vegas rewarded Linderbaum with a record-breaking contract. They signed veteran offensive guard Spencer Burford. This came after drafting Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze not long ago.

Their front office has invested in its offensive line. They will need to keep doing so as they work to solidify a starting offensive line they can build around as quarterback Fernando Mendoza develops. Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko explained where the unit is.

“I think we have a lot of guys that are excited to prove themselves and excited to go out there and just really do their job, do what we ask them, play within what we're asking them to do, and then make plays when their number's called upon,” Janocko said ahead of the team's Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

“That's why we're all here. We all have a job to do. We all have a role to play, and whatever that is, each week and it's going to be different each week, that's the task. That's what we're asked to do."

The Raiders' offseason additions along the offensive line will be worth keeping an eye on in Week 1 and beyond. In addition to the fact that games are won and lost along the line of scrimmage, Las Vegas will also be without star tight end Brock Bowers to start the season.

At the very least, running back Ashton Jeanty will be less than 100% entering the offseason. Two of the Raiders' biggest offensive weapons are either out or not fully healthy to start the season. This will put even more on the offensive line's plate early in Klint Kubiak's tenure with the team.

The Raiders have reason to believe their line has improved. However, Week 1 against the Dolphins will be an early test of how much the unit has improved and where it still needs work. As an already banged-up Raiders offense heads into Week 1, their line could be the difference-maker.

The first game of the season is always one of the sloppiest for most teams across the league. Las Vegas hopes Week 1 is the first step in the right direction for a rebuilding team. A solid performance from a unit that let them down often last season would be a solid start.