The Las Vegas Raiders are about to head into the regular season with a matchup against the Miami Dolphins. It will be their first test of real football, and they are hoping to start the season off on a good note.
One area fans will be interested in is the offensive line’s improvement. The Raiders added Tyler Linderbaum during the offseason and signed Spencer Burford to elevate the group. Early preseason returns suggest the starting offensive line is light years ahead of 2025.
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With the first-team offensive lineman playing in the preseason, Kirk Cousins was under pressure 5.9% of his snaps. The running game helped Mike Washington Jr average 6.1 yards per carry against the San Francisco 49ers. In his one preseason performance, Ashton Jeanty averaged 5.0 yards per carry.
The group’s improvement is clear throughout the film as well. In the play below, the Raiders are running a trap concept, and fans can already see the difference in execution. It says a lot about coach Rick Dennision and the job he is doing as an offensive line coach.
If the offensive line brings this type of play into the regular season, it will be an X factor for their win total. It will make Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza comfortable and allow them to make plays. With the running game being vital to Klint Kubiak’s philosophy as a play caller, the group could help create a smash-mouth mentality.
