The Las Vegas Raiders are in yet another rebuild. After another subpar season, the team fired head coach Anthony Pierce after one year. They brought in Super Bowl champion head coach Pete Carroll, hoping he would be able to bring a winning culture to the franchise. Every offseason, front offices make lots of moves to create cap space. The Raiders are also looking to reset the roster with players that this regime has chosen. According to reports, Las Vegas plans to release starting center Andre James once the league year begins.
Las Vegas Raiders Set To Release Andre James
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Las Vegas Raiders are set to release Andre James. He is one of the last remaining players who were there when the team was in Oakland. The former UCLA Bruin has started 60 games for the team during his tenure. James signed a three-year, $24 million extension last offseason, but the team decided it was best to move on. The move saves the team $3.15 million but does create $5 million in dead cap.
This move seems to be based on the other people on the roster. The team drafted Oregon standout center Jackson Powers-Johnson last season and had him play guard. The team signed a two-year contract with former Cincinnati Bengals guard Alex Cappa earlier this week. The release of Andre James means Powers-Johnson can move back to center where he won the Rimington Award in 2023. Dylan Parham will occupy the other guard spot, making this line formidable.
2025 Outlook
There is still a massive question at quarterback, but the Las Vegas Raiders are building the team the right way. We’ve seen it time and time again. The teams that focus on building in the trenches are usually the ones that succeed. Carroll and the new front office are making sure that no matter who is under center, that person has good protection. The run game was also abysmal last year, partly due to poor offensive line play. If the team can run the ball better, they will likely have more success.
Final Thoughts
The moves the Las Vegas Raiders are making are not exciting, but they are crucial to the success of the team in the long run. This team has been the laughingstock of the league for years. Hopefully, Carroll will be able to reset the culture and bring winning back to this historic franchise.
