The Las Vegas Raiders had to be aggressive in addressing the offensive line, especially after a season where they ranked 22nd in both run block (70.4%) and pass block win rate (60.7%), along with ranking near the bottom in every rushing metric, including yards per game (77.5).
That’s slated to improve, with the massive free-agent signing of All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum, but aside from him, there’s an in-house youngster who impressed during his rookie season, and that’s 6’4″, 312-pound guard Caleb Rogers.
Raiders Guard Caleb Rogers’s Outlook Ahead of the 2026 NFL Season
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz wrote more on how Caleb Rogers is someone to keep an eye on.
“The Raiders’ offensive line was a problem last season, but Rogers was not. He was primarily a tackle at Texas Tech before moving inside for the Raiders, and in six starts, he had a 90.7% pass block win rate. The Raiders are moving to more of a zone-running game in 2026, and that would seem to fit Rogers’ skill set. He’ll compete with Jordan Meredith and Spencer Burford for the starting left guard spot and provide the Raiders with good depth in case injuries hit the line.”
In Rogers’ case, the Raiders should not go with Meredith as the starting left guard, as he played primarily at center and struggled, earning just a 57.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2025 and allowed four sacks and 20 total pressures.
The competition for the starting LG spot should be between Burford and Rogers. Burford, whom the Raiders signed from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, is still young (25 years old) and could provide some stability with 38 career starts (nine games at left guard in 2025).
The best-case scenario is that the 24-year-old former third-round pick wins the starting job at left guard and locks in a starting role for the foreseeable future.
One Newcomer to Keep An Eye On
While it’s good to know the Raiders have someone like Caleb Rogers as depth, or hopefully a starter at guard, it’s also nice to know Linderbaum is on the team.
“He touches the ball on every play, makes the line calls, calls the protections [and] directions,” head coach Klint Kubiak said. “He’s the leader of the whole operation, touches the ball before the quarterback gets it. He’s going to be leading meetings when the coaches aren’t there.”
One thing to note is that his annual salary of $27 million is $9 million more than the former highest-paid center (Creed Humphrey) and sixth-most among ALL offensive linemen, regardless of position.
🎥 #Raiders
There’s an argument to be made that Linderbaum is already the most important player on the Raiders’ roster.
“We’re trying to bring winners to the Raiders so that we can be on that level and go win playoff games,” Kubiak added. “[Linderbaum] plays the game the right way, and he’s going to be a role model that we want all players to emulate.”
In fact, it’ll be a great situation for Rogers to walk into, potentially starting with Kolton Miller on his left and Linderbaum on his right. Two All-Pro offensive linemen who can immediately elevate his game.
Raiders Young 6’4″, 312-lb Lineman Receives Promising Outlook Before Season