Observations regarding the potential effects of the free-agent addition on Las Vegas’ draft strategy Although it is a surprising decision given that Whitehair has eight years of starting experience and.
Raiders need a starting right guard. Experienced interior offensive lineman Cody Whitehair reportedly signed a low-cost one-year contract with the team during free agency. Not to mention, the timing of the deal is remarkable.
The 31-year-old, who will be 32 in July, was cut by the Chicago Bears back in February, giving Las Vegas two months to sign him.
Nevertheless, rather of holding out until after the NFL Draft to determine if the team still needed a starter in the trenches, the organization decided to bring him in a little over a week beforehand.
What effect, then, may Whitehair’s arrival have on the Raiders’ draft plan?
Contrary to popular belief, the former Bear isn’t excellent enough to rule out the possibility of choosing a starting right tackle such as Taliese Fuaga, JC Latham, or someone else. However, it does lessen the need to find a starting point for the job right away.
With Andre James at center, Whitehair and Thayer Munford Jr. on the right, Kolton Miller and Dylan Parham on the left, and Andre James at center, the Raiders could now have a strong and seasoned offensive line.
With Munford entering his third season as a professional, those five have 305 career starts between them, making him the least experienced lineman.
It’s not a terrible position for a rookie quarterback to take over.
It’s simply a question of who and when the Raiders will pursue a quarterback in the draft, and this move may be a sign that they’ll select one with the 13th overall choice.
It’s a big gamble to think that the Silver and Black will select a right tackle with their first pick and then trade back into the first round or wait until the second round to grab Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.
Either of those two might be taken off the board by a quick club, leaving Las Vegas without a point in the most crucial position on the field.
However, by adding Whitehair, the team gains a respectable offensive line and reduces the need in the trenches, which makes it easier to defend selecting a quarterback with the first choice. especially when there is also less worry about a rookie playing behind a poor line.
In addition, the Raiders have a more open draft board with Monday’s signing, even if they decide not to pursue a signal-caller in the first round.
Tom Telesco may decide to target another need, such as a cornerback, if the offensive line prospects he likes are gone by the time the teens are selected on draft night.
Once more, in that scenario, the Raiders get to enhance another position group while maintaining a serviceable line.
In the end, the Silver and Black avoid possibly locking themselves into selecting a right tackle in the first round by signing the seasoned guard.
Day Two
Prior to this, the Raiders would have needed to select an offensive line plug-and-play or instant starter on the second draft day, particularly if the team selected a quarterback with their first pick.
That would have required selecting a guy with a lower ceiling because he can play right away or giving up potential in favor of a tried-and-true asset.
However, as was already said, with Whitehair joining the team, there is less of a need for a rookie first-stringer. Alternatively, the front office can take a chance on someone who lacks technical refinement but has great qualities.
That might eventually result in Las Vegas acquiring a better player, especially since the player in question will have a year to develop and won’t be thrown into the fire right away.
Some offensive linemen that come to mind that fit that description include Kingsley Suamataia of BYU, Patrick Paul of Houston, and Roger Rosengarten of Washington.
With the knowledge that they won’t necessarily need to play right away, those three and other options might be considerably more alluring.
Furthermore, Day 2 of the draft opens up to other positions, similar to the first round, now that the Raiders have an additional veteran option to address the team’s need for a starter up front.
