John Spytek and the Raiders just found a way to address one of their biggest remaining needs in a way that could end up paying major dividends
The Raiders are still making moves.
It’s safe to say one of the few remaining needs in free agency that fans wanted the Las Vegas Raiders to address was the offensive guard position. That, along with the safety and tackle positions, are three of the biggest remaining needs with a few bucks left to spend in free agency.
On Tuesday, the Raiders addressed that need. As they announced via Twitter, the Raiders have signed former San Francisco 49ers offensive guard Spencer Burford, who has started 38 games in his career. This is a one-year deal, but the exact amount has not been disclosed. However, this seems like a prove-it type of deal that could end up being huge for Vegas.
Burford could be a steal for the Raiders, or he could be just another one-year deal
Vegas needed someone at guard. This signing doesn’t rule out future guard acquisitions, but suggests they want to see what their roster and the new offensive line coach can produce. Vegas seems likely to let Burford compete for a starting spot. They also like Caleb Rogers, who has 284 career snaps to Burford’s 38 starts. Whoever starts will line up with Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Rogers played right guard last season, but JPJ has played all over the interior of the offensive line, while Rogers also played some left guard in college. So, who plays where will certainly be more of a coaching decision. But it’s clear they have two guys ready to potentially battle for a starting guard spot.
Burford could be valuable depth for the Raiders, who have dealt with many injuries on the offensive line. With 2,165 snaps compared to Rogers’ 284, he could also be a serviceable starter. Training camp will determine their roles unless Rogers is already favored.
According to Sports Info Solutions, Burford had 32 blown blocks last season, with 211 in the pass game and 11 in the run game. That put him at the 14th-most among all offensive guards last season, on just 550 total snaps. However, all of the players above him on this list have almost double the snaps he had. So, there certainly is work to be done.
Burford’s familiarity with Kubiak’s system, his experience at age 25, and the low-cost, one-year contract add competition to a weak position group. This move could be impactful or just a depth addition.
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