Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
5 positions for Raiders that will have new starters in 2024
Every new season brings change. Some change is not yet known. While some we know already. For instance, there will be new starters at several positions for the Raiders this season. These are the positions we know will change hands.
‘He can’t have a bad rep’: RT Thayer Munford forced to jumpstart development facing Maxx Crosby every day
There is no tougher job on the Raiders on a day-to-day basis than being the man who has to line up against Maxx Crosby. This year it’s been Thayer Munford who has been in that unenviable position.
Crosby doesn’t know what half speed is. For him it’s full speed every rep, even before pads go on, which can be frustrating for the man trying to block him being that no contact makes life more difficult for them.
Maxx don’t care. And neither does his head coach. He wants his new tackle to try and match Crosby’s energy.
“Munford can’t have a bad day. Can’t have a bad rep. Because I’m not slowing Maxx Crosby down. Not doing it,” said Antonio Pierce. “I told our staff, I’m not doing it. Munford’s going to see that in real life when we go against these other defensive ends in the National Football League. So, to get those repetitions each and every day, give or take 50 or 60 snaps per practice. Hopefully that speeds up the development and growth to make us a better team.”
While the rest of the offense seems to be given some grace to make their mistakes and ease into the new scheme, Munford is not afforded that grace.
While you don’t expect him to be able to keep Crosby out of the backfield much — due to the lack of pads and contact as well as every down being a passing down — what you want to see is Munford give something back to Crosby.
We saw a little of that on day one when Munford seemed to get a bit miffed at Crosby tearing around the edge every snap and then getting in his face. Munford shoved Crosby off him, which is a good start. If he can manage to go toe-to-toe with Crosby, he can handle just about any edge rusher in the league. Which is just what Pierce is looking for.
“Everything I talk about in every phase — phase one, phase two, phase three, minicamp — competing. Training camp, competing,” said Pierce. “It’s Raiders vs Raiders until we get to Week one of the preseason and Week one of the regular season. Raiders aren’t going to be the best of friends when we get to training camp. It’s not going to be pretty. It’s going to be ugly. I’m sure it’s going to be violent. And then we’ll love one another and we’ll do it again when we go against somebody else.
“Maxx Crosby going against Munford is going to do nothing but make Munford a better player.”
Raiders believe RT Thayer Munford Jr. is a better fit at left tackle
The Raiders are in the process of making several changes on the offensive line this offseason. While that unit wasn’t bad last season, Antonio Pierce wanted to upgrade the group and that’s why we’ve seen so many changes.
One of those changes involves Thayer Munford, who is expected to be the full-time starter at right tackle. Munford has played both left and right tackle in Las Vegas, but the expectation going forward is that he’ll stay on the right side.
In a recent article by our own Levi Damien he wrote about Munford and James Cragg’s (offensive line coach) thoughts on the third-year player from Ohio State. Here is a snippet of what he had to say about Munford and his fit at right tackle:
Especially watching the latter part of last year, he jumped out at me a lot. He’s been a good fit over there with his athleticism. He’s untapped. He’s still learning. He’s a raw football player. He’s still developing, in my opinion. He’s getting better every practice. He’s natural on the left. … But he can go both directions. You saw it last year: He could go step in for Kolton when he needed to. He’s been a pleasant surprise over there at right.
While it’s clear that Cragg believes that Munford is a better fit at left tackle, all of the reports from the offseason have been positive in regard to his play at right tackle. Munford has been a good player whenever he’s been on the field, but the expectations will be different now that he’s a starter.
Can Munford make the full-time transition to right tackle? That remains to be seen, but the Raiders are high on him and believe that he could play either spot on a moment’s notice. That is pretty hard to find in the NFL.
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Raiders have answer on right side of OL in 2022 draft classmates
As uncertain as it seemed the right side of the Raiders’ offensive line seemed to be this offseason, there wasn’t any uncertainty if you ask them. They had their guys already in the house.
Through the offseason so far, the first team right guard and right tackle spots have been manned by Dylan Parham and Thayer Munford respectively.
Both young linemen were selected by the Raiders in the 2022 draft. Parham was the team’s top pick in the third round and Munford a seventh round pick. And here they are entering their third NFL seasons with the inside track to be the team’s starters on the right side.
Parham had started at left guard since he was a rookie, but his offensive line coach James Cregg likes the former center better on the right side.
“Yeah, just watching him and doing what we’re doing, we run more wide zone and things like that and he’s just more natural, especially him being a center,” Cregg said of Parham’s move to the right side. “Sometimes centers are more natural being right-handed guys than they are left-handed guys for whatever reason, and he’s just more natural moving over there. And we just liked the way his footwork was better over there and things like that. The game was more natural for him over there, that’s why we moved him.”
With the Raiders plans to move Parham to the right side, it was the left guard spot that was actually open. To fill that spot, they drafted Rimington Award winner Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round and signed veteran free agent, Cody Whitehair.
As of now, while Powers-Johnson works through a shoulder injury, it’s been Whitehair who has lined up with the first team. Whitehair comes over from the Bears where he played under Raiders new OC Luke Getsy and therefore makes a seamless transition along with the ability to help his new teammates learn the scheme.
With the guard spots figured out, that just left right tackle. Or so most thought. But when Cregg was asked whether Munford’s presence gave them the confidence that he was their starting right tackle, to which Cregg said “He did.”
“Especially watching the latter part of last year. He really jumped out at me a lot, and he’s been a good fit over there. His athleticism, he’s untapped. He’s still learning. He’s a raw football player. He’s still developing in my opinion. He’s getting better every practice. He’s getting more comfortable over there, but I think he’s – kind of like talking about Dylan [Parham] – he’s natural on the left, like you put him on the left he can totally do it. That’s what he did in college, he played both sides. He played more left than right, but he can go both directions. You saw it last year he can go step in for Kolton [Miller] when he needed to, and he’s been a pleasant surprise over there at right. He’s getting better too, so I’ve been really fired up about him.”
Munford split time almost equally between right and left tackle last season, first filling in for the injured Jermaine Eluemunor and then later for injured Kolton Miller. And, true to what Cregg said, Munford did his best work on the left side.
The thing you have to wonder though is whether that had more to do with settling in because he played LT later in the season.
Even with their faith in Munford, or at very least giving him every opportunity to be the starting right tackle, they used their third round selection on Maryland right tackle DJ Glaze. A pick that, at this point, seems like a good insurance plan in case things don’t go well for Munford. At which point Munford’s ability to play both sides would make him a viable reserve swing tackle.
Raiders OL Thayer Munford ‘entrenched’ as starting right tackle during OTAs
The Las Vegas Raiders made the decision not to retain starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor this offseason after another really good season. Instead, they wanted to get younger on the offensive line with new OC Luke Getsy.
That means the Raiders are now relying on Thayer Munford, a former seventh-round pick, to be their newest right tackle. So far, it appears that it’s essentially a lock that he’ll win that job.
According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Munford has been the starting right tackle during OTAs this week. And there really hasn’t been much competition for that spot. Here is what he had to say about the right tackle job going into the season:
Thayer Munford is entrenched as the starting right tackle. He didn’t leave the starting lineup during practice, which shouldn’t be shocking considering his only real competition on the roster is rookie DJ Glaze.
While Munford has made several starts at left tackle and right tackle during his first two years in the league, he has never been a full-time starter. He once struggled with his confidence, but that’s no longer the case. He believes he’s fully capable of being the long-term answer at right tackle.
If Munford can lock down the right tackle job and prove to be an upgrade from Eluemunor, the Raiders have a real chance to improve their offensive line in one offseason. It helps that Munford was able to get some valuable playing time under his belt over the last two seasons and now it appears he is ready to take the next step to being a full-time starter.
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Raiders have a new starting RT next season as Jermaine Eluemunor is joining the Giants
One of the final big questions regarding Raiders free agents involved whether they would consider bringing back right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. That question has now been answered with a resounding no as Eluemunor is headed to New York to join the Giants on a two-year deal.
Source: The #Giants have added a key OL, set to sign Jermaine Eluemunor to a 2-year, $14M deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2024
Eluemunor started 45 games over the past three seasons for the Raiders at both guard and tackle, most recently as the every day starting right tackle.
This officially puts the Raiders in the market for a new right tackle. They could end up going with former seventh round pick Thayer Munford there, but even if that were the case, they would likely bring in some competition for the job.
Should they be looking for an upgrade, the draft is said to be deep at the position, so they could look there. Or, possibly they could attempt to sign one in free agency who they feel is an upgrade just as they did in signing Christian Wilkins while letting Bilal Nichols leave (he signed with the Cardinals).
With right guard Greg Van Roten not expected to be back, the Raiders will have a new right side of the offensive line next season.
What Condition Raiders Position is in: Offensive tackle
With free agency under a month away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ offensive tackle position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.
Miller was his usual mainstay at left tackle, outside of missing five starts due to injury. Right tackle was manned by Eluemunor for the second consecutive season. Munford filled in at both tackle spots as needed.
No worries at left tackle. But right tackle is a concern. They can limit that concern by bringing back Eluemunor, but regardless seeking an upgrade at that spot would be smart. Eluemunor can play tackle or guard and is a good piece to have around. Munford has also shown potential, but it would not be smart to move forward with him as the only option at such a crucial spot.
Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 14 route of Chargers
What an insane game this was. Four days earlier, the Raiders were shut out 3-0 by the Vikings. Then they come out in this one and not only score a touchdown on their opening drive, not only score 21 points in the first quarter, not only go up 42-0 in the first half, not only scored 49 points before the Chargers scored for the first time, but scored a franchise record 63 points in a 63-21 trouncing of the Chargers.
That was one heck of a run-on sentence.
So, you might just see a heavy dose of Ballers this week. I wasn’t even sure there’d be a Buster, but in the end I found one. But just one.
Raiders LT Thayer Munford plays full game Thursday Night with no sacks allowed
No question Kolton Miller is missed. But Thursday night against the Chargers, his replacement held his own.
Miller has been missing games due to an injured shoulder and this week it was Thayer Munford who stepped in to start at left tackle and he had himself a game.
Not only did Munford play every snap prior to when the Raiders pulled the starters late, he didn’t give up a sack. He only gave up one QB hit and it didn’t happen until the third quarter with the Raiders up 42-0. And it didn’t affect that play, as Aidan O’Connell still got the pass off to Davante Adams for 18 yards — the longest completion on the drive that went for a touchdown.
Munford was a starting left tackle at Ohio State, but had been the primary backup at right tackle over his first two seasons as a seventh round pick by the Raiders in 2022.
Initially when Miller went down with his injury, the team opted to move Jermaine Eluemunor over from right tackle, but that didn’t go too well, and so they put Eluemunor back at right tackle and put Munford at left tackle. So far so good as neither of them gave up a sack in Sunday’s game despite facing Khalil Mack who sacked O’Connell six times in their last meeting.
| Offense | Spec Tms | ||||
| Player | Pos | Num | Pct | Num | Pct |
| Jordan Meredith | G | 64 | 100% | 9 | 24% |
| Dylan Parham | C | 64 | 100% | 9 | 24% |
| Aidan O’Connell | QB | 64 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
| Jermaine Eluemunor | T | 61 | 95% | 9 | 24% |
| Thayer Munford | T | 61 | 95% | 9 | 24% |
| Jakobi Meyers | WR | 56 | 88% | 0 | 0% |
| Davante Adams | WR | 52 | 81% | 0 | 0% |
| Greg Van Roten | G | 49 | 77% | 7 | 19% |
| Zamir White | RB | 45 | 70% | 0 | 0% |
| Michael Mayer | TE | 41 | 64% | 9 | 24% |
| Tre Tucker | WR | 29 | 45% | 0 | 0% |
| Hunter Renfrow | WR | 27 | 42% | 0 | 0% |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 26 | 41% | 0 | 0% |
| Ameer Abdullah | RB | 17 | 27% | 19 | 51% |
| Jakob Johnson | FB | 15 | 23% | 10 | 27% |
| Hroniss Grasu | C | 15 | 23% | 2 | 5% |
| DeAndre Carter | WR | 5 | 8% | 9 | 24% |
| Justin Herron | T | 5 | 8% | 0 | 0% |
| DJ Turner | WR | 3 | 5% | 23 | 62% |
| Brandon Parker | T | 3 | 5% | 9 | 24% |
| Brandon Bolden | RB | 2 | 3% | 28 | 76% |
| Defense | Spec Tms | ||||
| Player | Pos | Num | Pct | Num | Pct |
| Jack Jones | CB | 53 | 82% | 0 | 0% |
| Tyree Wilson | DE | 45 | 69% | 5 | 14% |
| Amik Robertson | CB | 45 | 69% | 3 | 8% |
| Robert Spillane | LB | 43 | 66% | 0 | 0% |
| Nate Hobbs | CB | 43 | 66% | 0 | 0% |
| Marcus Epps | SS | 43 | 66% | 0 | 0% |
| Tre’von Moehrig | FS | 43 | 66% | 0 | 0% |
| Divine Deablo | LB | 43 | 66% | 0 | 0% |
| Adam Butler | DT | 40 | 62% | 9 | 24% |
| Maxx Crosby | DE | 39 | 60% | 0 | 0% |
| Bilal Nichols | DT | 36 | 55% | 5 | 14% |
| Malcolm Koonce | DE | 33 | 51% | 14 | 38% |
| Jakorian Bennett | CB | 32 | 49% | 5 | 14% |
| Jerry Tillery | DT | 28 | 43% | 3 | 8% |
| Janarius Robinson | DE | 23 | 35% | 5 | 14% |
| Luke Masterson | LB | 22 | 34% | 28 | 76% |
| Isaiah Pola-Mao | FS | 22 | 34% | 24 | 65% |
| Christopher Smith | SS | 22 | 34% | 20 | 54% |
| Tyler Hall | CB | 22 | 34% | 16 | 43% |
| John Jenkins | DT | 17 | 26% | 4 | 11% |
| Amari Burney | LB | 11 | 17% | 14 | 38% |
| Curtis Bolton | LB | 10 | 15% | 28 | 76% |
| Special Teams | Spec Tms | ||||
| Player | Pos | Num | Pct | Num | Pct |
| Jesper Horsted | TE | 0 | 0% | 23 | 62% |
| Daniel Carlson | K | 0 | 0% | 19 | 51% |
| Jacob Bobenmoyer | LS | 0 | 0% | 15 | 41% |
| AJ Cole III | P | 0 | 0% | 15 | 41% |
Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 11 loss to Dolphins
There were more than a few people who were surprised at how the Raiders hung around with the Dolphins the entire game in Miami. Many thought the Raiders would get their doors blown off and that isn’t so much disrespect for the Raiders as much as it is respect for the Dolphins.
But Antonio Pierce has the Raiders playing inspired football. Even if, at times, it isn’t great football — at least not on the offensive side of the ball — it’s inspired. And that’s all you can really hope for if you hope to get the most out of the talent you have available.
Hence the reason this game was never more than a one-score difference for either team and went down to the wire before the Dolphins won it 20-13.
In a game of defensive heroics, Maxx was still the heroic-est. But this time he got a little help from the other side of the line.
We pick things up in the third quarter. That’s when the Raiders stopped letting the Dolphins get to the end zone. Crosby stopped their second drive almost single-handedly. They moved to first down at the Vegas 36. Then Crosy got in the backfield to make the stop on run stuff for one yard. Next play he helped make a tackle on a two-yard catch. And on third down, got pressure to force a bad throw. The Dolphins attempted a 50-yard field goal and missed.
The next drive ended when Koonce got pressure up the middle on a stunt to force an incompletion, leading to another field goal attempt. This one connected from 41 yards out. Koonce would get pressure to help end the next drive as well with the Dolphins again settling for a field goal.
The fourth quarter saw three possessions by the Dolphins for a total of 19 yards of offense. The first had Koonce made a run stuff, then ended with a vicious tackle by Crosby to make the stop well shy of the sticks. The second was upended with Koonce forcing a holding penalty that the Dolphins couldn’t overcome. The final possession, they got their only first down on the fourth quarter, but it still ended three plays later with Crosby getting a pressure to force an incompletion. That defensive stand gave the Raiders offense one more shot with just under two minutes remaining.
After the Raiders went up 10-7 in the first quarter, the Dolphins led out the second quarter looking like they might respond with a touchdown to retake the lead. Hobbs saw to it that didn’t happen. Once they got to the 30-yard-line, Hobbs made two tackles on short catches. The Dolphins would still drive to inside the five-yard-line. They would go for it on fourth-and-one from the three-yard-line and it was Hobbs who came up to make the initial hit behind the line and Pola-Mao finished it off for the turnover on downs.
In the final seconds of the second quarter, the Dolphins were up 14-10 and driving. That was until Hobbs punched the ball out to force a fumble and give the Raiders the ball at the Miami 32-yard-line. The ensuing field goal made it a one-point game at the half.
First play of the third quarter, Pola-Mao picked off a deep Tua Tagovailoa pass. He later teamed up on a stop on third down.
Hobbs and Pola-Mao finished third and fourth on the team in tackles respectively. And they combined for two of the Raiders’ three takeaways in the game.
Cole was launching some punts into orbit in this game. His first punt went 50 yards with an illegal blindside block at the end of it to start the Dolphins’ drive at the 14-yard-line.
He added a 53-yard punt in the second quarter that was fair caught. And later in the quarter broke off a beauty that traveled 61 yards and bounced out of bounds at the 12-yard-line.
Then in the third quarter he booted a 51-yard punt the was fair caught at the 15. And, finally, he kicked another 53-yarder with an illegal block on the return that started the Dolphins possession at their own 10.
A couple weeks ago against the Giants, Cole had four punts of 63 yards or more, which set a record. But this game was better in some regards, because of those big punts, only one was stopped inside the 20-yard-line. And two of them went for touchbacks. In fact, in Sunday’s game in Miami, on six punts, Cole had zero touchbacks and the Dolphins started their drive inside the 20 four times. That usually means better hang time and better placement. Which is preferable to just simple punt distance.
It might not surprise you to learn that Spillane led the Raiders in tackles (13). He also had a tackle for loss and a pass breakup that was very nearly an interception. Because of course he did. He’s become quite the ball hawk this season.
His first tackle of the game went for a loss. Then on the Dolphins’ first drive of the second quarter, he had three run stops, including a stop on third and ten just short of the sticks. The Dolphins went for it on fourth-and-one from the three and couldn’t convert.
Spillane was a big factor in stopping the Dolphins on their final two drives, thus giving the Raiders offense two more shots at tying the game late. He was in on the tackle on third-and-15 to force the first punt. Then he was in on the run stop on their second to last play as well.
WR Davante Adams — Got open a lot in this game. It wasn’t his fault Aidan O’Connell only connected with him on one deep shot. But it was the Raiders’ one TD in the game.
LB Luke Masterson — Forced the fumble on the Dolphins’ first drive to start the Raiders second possession already in scoring range.
DC Patrick Graham — While Antonio Pierce gets credit for this team playing inspired football, Graham should get some love for his work as well.
