One of the biggest surprises from the 2022 season was that the Raiders got pretty solid play from their offensive line. Kolton Miller was the only established player on the unit, but they still managed to play like a top-12 group for most of the season.
Going into the 2023 season, the Raiders have retained all five starters from last season. However, will that be enough for them to continue to be a better-than-average unit next season?
In a recent article by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he ranked all 32 offensive lines heading into the 2023 season. The Raiders came in at No. 19, which is down ten spots from where they were at the end of the 2022 season.
The interior trio of the Raiders’ line last season had an average PFF grade of 56.7, but the team is returning all three. This group overachieved last season, but it’s tough to see it projecting far above average on paper.
The interior of the offensive line is the biggest concern for the Raiders, but the hope is that Dylan Parham can make a big leap in Year 2. Center and right guard are both question marks, but the Raiders did get solid play from both spots last season. They need Andre James and Alex Bars to play better than they did in 2022 for the group to really take off.
Having continuity helps, but the Raiders will need at least a few players to improve in 2023 if they want to have a ton-ranked unit again next season.
