Raiders Season Review: Andre James
When the Las Vegas Raiders remade their offensive line last offseason, trading Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson was a move many questioned.
Replacing him with Andre James, a converted tackle who had started one game in his first two seasons and was looked at as something that came with risk.
James did go through his ups and downs last season, but by the end of 2021, had settled in as the Raiders starting center.
A good reason for that was consistent health, as James and left tackle Kolton Miller were the only Raiders offensive lineman to play 100 percent of the team's offensive snaps last year.
It allowed James to overcome a rough start and finish with an average grade from Pro Football Focus.
James actually ended up finishing 11 spots higher in PFF's center rankings than Hudson did, although that came as Hudson missed five games last year.
James was ranked well above average by PFF as a pass blocker, placing 14th out of 27 eligible players, and gave up only two sacks all season.
Consistency with his fundamentals will be a point of emphasis for next season, as James did finish with seven penalties in 2021.
More than anything, though, James showed that he could be a piece that can help the Raiders moving forward.
Considering the new regime the team has now, James showing improvement could be the difference between keeping the job for next season or having to move on.
James should at least have the chance to compete and show he has what it takes to be the Raiders starting center for the long haul.
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