The current state of the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive line continues to be a subject of much debate. Through just one week of regular season football, fans are already throwing up red flags. Injury concerns to some of the linemen, there was an interesting bit of Raiders news today, the team hosted Kelechi Osemele for a visit in Vegas.
Simply put, the O-line disappointed for most of Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Even worse, center Andre James had to leave the game in an ambulance afterward. Quarterback Derek Carr found himself under consistent pressure from the Chargers, especially Khalil Mack. However, head coach Josh McDaniels remains adamant that the unit fans see out on the field isn’t changing. Regardless, the team added former first-round pick Billy Price to their practice squad. During the course of the day, Osemele sent out a selfie of himself in Sin City, prompting many to speculate if he too would be re-joining the Raiders. As of the time this article was written, Vic Tafur of The Athletic, who covers the Raiders, said that a reunion doesn’t seem likely.
It sounds as if the answer is no. https://t.co/D0qMgdCDAS
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) September 14, 2022
Would Kelechi Osemele start on this Raiders team?
As soon as the news broke that Osemele was in town, social media went into a frenzy. This is nothing new. It’s become the custom that whenever a free agent is in Vegas, everyone speculates if they’re there to sign with the Raiders. Many fans were wondering if Kelechi could start right away. That seems doubtful. Kelechi hasn’t played since 2020 when he last suited up for the Kansas City Chiefs (five games started).
A two-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders during the Jack Del Rio days, Osemele might’ve been a solid rotational piece, but considering his injury history, it would’ve been a concerning development if at this point the Raiders were signing a guard off the street to start. For now, the Raiders appear content with what they have in-house.
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*Top Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images