As the Raiders Prepare for Mendoza, They Must Plan Ahead

The Las Vegas Raiders have had the luxury of having one of the best left tackles in the National Football League over the past decade. Left tackle Kolton Miller only played four games in 2025 but has been one of the best in the league at his position since the Raiders drafted him in 2018.

Raiders' Future

The Raiders have had many concerns over the past few seasons, but left tackle has generally not been one of them. Still, the Raiders have solidified their interior offensive line for at least the next three seasons, with Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers.

Spencer Burfrod will also be in the mix along the interior offensive line. Now, with presumed No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza on the way, Las Vegas can begin to focus on fine-tuning their edge of the offensive line. Miller's shortened season and wear and tear in the league must be noted.

The last thing the Raiders want to do is suddenly and unexpectedly find themselves without Miller for any amount of time in 2026. However, one thing they can do differently this offseason, is plan for that possibility in a more thorough manner, which largely points to the NFL Draft at this point.

The Raiders have yet to add to their group of offensive tackles this offseason. It seems unlikely they enter the 2026 season without adding to the position at all. The Raiders know what to expect from Miller, when healthy. Health is Miller's primary concern moving forward, not performance.

On the right side, Las Vegas has DJ Glaze, who has been the starter the last two seasons. Glaze has room for improvement, as most offensive linemen drafted in the third round who became starters in their fourth game in the National Football League do, but has been serviceable.

Glaze has significant upside, especially with the right coaching staff and an improved supporting cast around him. As long as Glaze continues to develop physically, and can quickly grasp Klint Kubiak's offense, it is fair to expect him to continue to be the team's starting right tackle.

Las Vegas drafted Charles Grant last offseason. He was one of the many rookies who came on late in the season, after being shelved by Pete Carroll's coaching staff for much of the season. Grant has potential with the team and could potentially push for a starting position.

Still, the Raiders should enter this year's NFL Draft looking to add another lineman or two. One of those should be a solid offensive tackle that could potentially push Grant for a reserve position, Glaze for a starting spot, or to potentially be Miller's future replacement.

Las Vegas does not have to look far for how badly things can go when a starting offensive tackle is lost for any reason. Their 2025 season is a testament of that fact. With the lessons learned from that fresh in their minds and Mendoza on the way, the Raiders must plan ahead.

Safety, cornerback, and linebacker are more pressing roster issues at the moment, but the Raiders must begin planning to solidify their group of offensive tackles more thoroughly over this offseason and next offseason.