Getty New Las Vegas Raiders OL Cody Whitehair.
The Las Vegas Raiders have taken a slow approach to free agency but have decided to make their first signing in weeks. According to an April 15 X post from Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan, the team is signing former Chicago Bears offensive guard Cody Whitehair to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.
Whitehair was one of the most experienced offensive linemen still available in free agency. He’s been in the NFL since 2016 when he was a second-round pick of the Bears. He’s started in 118 games over eight seasons in Chicago and even made a Pro Bowl in 2018.
Whitehair has played both offensive guard and center. He’s almost certainly being brought to Las Vegas to play offensive guard as the team re-signed Andre James this offseason, who has been their starting center since 2021. The Raiders have a huge hole at right guard right now and Whitehair should be the favorite to start there unless the team drafts an offensive guard early.
Whitehair is a logical addition as he just spent the last two seasons under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who the Raiders hired recently. He should understand the system well and should be able to start in Week 1 or at least be a high-quality backup.
Las Vegas Raiders Need an RT
Cody Whitehair doesn’t have experience playing offensive tackle so that remains a major need for the Raiders. The team lost Jermaine Eluemunor to the New York Giants in free agency, who started 31 games for the Raiders over the last two seasons with many of those starts coming at right tackle.
Las Vegas still has Thayer Munford, who has shown promise at right tackle but he only has 14 career starts. He’d be a risky player to rely on at right tackle, especially if the Raiders draft left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. At this stage in free agency, the team isn’t going to find a great right tackle so they will likely address the position in the draft but it remains to be seen just how early they’ll do it.
Taliese Fuaga Named Ideal Fit for Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders could use their first-round pick on a quarterback or a cornerback but the need at right tackle is substantial. There appears to be momentum building that Las Vegas will take an offensive lineman at No. 13 if they can’t get a quarterback they like.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com believes that Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga would be the ideal selection for the Raiders in the first round.
“Fuaga becomes the ideal pick in a less-than-ideal situation, with right tackle Jermaine Eluemenor signing with the Giants this offseason,” Reuter wrote in an April 12 column. “Fuaga could line up at guard or tackle, depending upon the team’s plan for 2022 seventh-rounder Thayer Munford Jr.”
As Reuter noted, Fuaga can play guard or tackle but with the addition of Whitehair, the Raiders could likely test him out at right tackle as a rookie. If that doesn’t work out, he should be a very good right guard. If the Raiders don’t have an elite quarterback, having an elite offensive line helps cover up some of those issues. It’s something for the team to consider if they simply can’t land a great quarterback in the draft.