The Las Vegas Raiders‘ offensive line enters 2026 with momentum, improved depth, and reasons to believe it can become one of the team’s biggest strengths.
The Raiders’ offensive line was the worst in the NFL last season. Let’s be real; there’s zero debating that. Still, what’s worth examining, however, is whether the conditions that produced that failure have actually changed. The evidence suggests they have actually.
Start with coaching, because that is where the rot began. Pete Carroll handed the offensive line coach position to his son, Brenden Carroll, who was, by most accounts, overmatched from the outset. Linemen were reportedly coaching each other. Assignments were missed with alarming regularity. Free rushers came untouched. Ashton Jeanty, last year’s prized rookie running back, had nowhere to run.
The 2025 offensive line never stood a chance…
The dysfunction was systemic, and it traced directly to the top of the position group.
That problem has been addressed at its root. New head coach Klint Kubiak brought in Rick Dennison, a 25-year NFL veteran who spent three seasons as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line coach. Minnesota ranked sixth, fifth and 17th in rushing during that stretch, not dominant, but demonstrably competent. After what the Raiders endured in 2025, competent coaching is not a minor upgrade. It is foundational.
Personnel changes compound the case. The center position was, somehow, an even greater liability than the coaching. The Raiders cycled through Jordan Meredith and Will Putnam, both of whom were overrun with troubling consistency. In response, the organization made Tyler Linderbaum its top free-agent priority, signing the three-time Pro Bowler to a headline-grabbing deal. Linderbaum provides a proven, stabilizing presence at the most important interior position.
Related: Tom Brady rips into the 2025 edition of his team
Left tackle Kolton Miller, the team’s best offensive lineman, missed 13 games last season. His replacement, Stone Forsythe, surrendered a team-high 11 sacks. Miller’s return alone represents a substantial swing. Jackson Powers-Johnson, also absent for much of last season, is another potential net positive if healthy.
Add second-year linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant, selected in back-to-back picks in the 2025 draft, along with zone-scheme fits Spencer Burford and rookie Trey Kuhn III, and the Raiders have quietly assembled a group with more upside than their reputation suggests.
Right tackle D.J. Glaze, who surrendered 10 sacks in 2025, remains the legitimate question mark.
The expectations are minimal, so there is plenty of room for improvement compared to last season.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images