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The Las Vegas Raiders offensive line has played better than expected this season. There have been 16 quarterbacks in the NFL who have been sacked more than Derek Carr this season. It’s been a solid performance from a patchwork offensive line the team put together in the offseason.
However, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, especially at the guard positions. Dylan Parham has acquitted himself well at left guard but his future is likely at center due to his size. Alex Bars has played better than anybody could’ve excepted but is the 70th-rated guard in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. The Raiders will need to upgrade at least one of their guard spots this offseason. Bleacher Report pitched a trade that would send Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Shaq Mason to Las Vegas for a fourth-round pick:
Shaq Mason would be a clear upgrade and reunite the guard with Josh McDaniels who knows him well from their Patriots days. The Buccaneers traded for the guard this offseason, giving up just a fifth-rounder for the athletic interior blocker.
However, Tampa Bay could be in the middle of a teardown depending on what Tom Brady decides to do in the offseason. The 45-year-old is set to be a free agent. If he retires or goes elsewhere, it’s hard to know what direction the Bucs will take in the offseason.
In this hypothetical trade, the Raiders secure a good right guard in Mason and simply offer a pick one round higher than the Bucs gave up for him last season.
Why Mason Makes Sense With Raiders
Mason has been one of the better guards in the NFL this season. He’s ranked 18th by Pro Football Focus. If Tom Brady does leave Tampa Bay, they may want to start stocking up on draft assets and consider rebuilding. A rebuilding team wouldn’t have much use for a veteran guard on an expiring $45 million contract. The Raiders would be a logical trade partner due to Mason’s previous connection to head coach Josh McDaniels.
He spent seven seasons with the New England Patriots under the coach. He’s also familiar with Raiders offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, who was with the Patriots last season. There won’t be many offensive linemen potentially available who are as familiar with how McDaniels likes to run his offense. Mason does have a $9.6 million cap hit next season so that might scare the Raiders off but a fourth-round pick for a proven veteran offensive guard could make it worth taking on the salary.
Raiders Add Offensive Tackle in Mock Draft
The Raiders will have several big needs heading into the offseason and should have a high draft pick. As of right now, they hold the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. That will give the team a chance to find a potential difference-maker. There are major needs on the defense but the Raiders might want to sure up their offensive line. In a recent mock draft from The 33rd Team, Las Vegas lands Ohio State standout offensive tackle Paris Johnson with their first-round pick.
“With lots of length and outstanding athletic ability, Johnson would be a nice fit in the Raiders’ offense and would give them a building block for the future,” The 33rd Team wrote.
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