Silver And Black Pride
Newcomer Alex Cappa along with Dylan Parham should bring out best of the group
As an exclusive rights free agent, Jordan Meredith’s return to the Las Vegas Raiders was always an eventuality.
Exclusive rights free agents (ERFAs) are any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. These type of free agents have less flexibility than other types meaning, if the player’s original team offers a one-year contract at the league minimum (based on credited seasons), the player can’t negotiate with other teams. And has no recourse but to sign the one-year minimum offer or retire.
Thus, Meredith’s return to Silver & Black by the one-year pact on March 24 was mere formality. The offensive lineman is part of a slew of Raiders that re-signed this offseason and after seeing what the 27-year-old undrafted free agent produced as an eight-game starter in 2024, it’s easy to see why he was brought back.
If you use Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades as your be-all, end-all in offensive lineman evaluation, then you’ll dig the marks Meredith garnered from the group. Earning an 80.8 overall grade, PFF ranked the Western Kentucky product 10th out of 135 guards. The 75.7 and 78.4 grades in pass blocking and run blocking, respectively, put Meredith at 16th and 14th among the guard position.
PFF also charted Meredith with three penalties but zero sacks allowed, which is the top field in terms of the 135 guards the group compared the Raiders’ lineman to.
Meredith provided a solidifying presence on Las Vegas’ offensive line after bein inserted into the starting lineup in Week 6. From then to Week 15, Meredith played 100 to 91 percent of the snaps until injuries forced him to miss Weeks 16 and 17 before not playing a snap on offense in the regular season finale.
Meredith’s ascension did allow the Raiders to place 2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson at center, but the talented Oregon product shifted back to guard due to Meredith’s ailments with Andre James reverting back to the pivot.
With Meredith back, along with free agent signing Alex Cappa, the offseason competition for starting spots along Las Vegas front five is going to be lively.
The Raiders releasing James, there’s a vacancy at center. That paves the way for Powers-Johnson to become the full-time center by winning the gig. The only other lineman listed as a center on the roster is fiery undrafted free agent Will Putnam, who spent the 2024 season on Las Vegas’ practice squad.
Las Vegas best five this past season were: Kolton Miller at left tackle, Meredith at left guard, Powers-Johnson at the pivot, Dylan Parham at right guard, and 2024 rookie DJ Glaze at right tackle. James was the backup after getting hurt while Thayer Munford Jr. began as the starting right tackle before losing his gig to Glaze. But provides valuable starting experience, swing tackle role, and jumbo tight end in certain alignments.
The fight for the guard spots will make the entire...
