Scott Gulbransen
The Las Vegas Raiders continued reshaping their interior offensive line Tuesday, signing Spencer Burford, a 25-year-old guard who spent his first four NFL seasons with San Francisco.
The 49ers selected Burford in the fourth round out of UTSA in 2022 and he grew into a reliable piece up front — starting nine games at left guard last season and 38 of 56 regular-season games overall. He has also appeared in five playoff games and brings the added familiarity of having played in 2023 under new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, then an assistant with San Francisco. He committed just one accepted penalty in 458 offensive snaps last season.
For a Raiders team that allowed an NFL-high 64 sacks in 2025 and ranked dead last in rushing yards per game, Burford is not a marquee signing but he’s another piece in a methodical rebuilding effort on the offensive line.
Raiders GM John Spytek Gets Jumpstart on OL Rebuild
That effort started in earnest the moment free agency opened. General Manager John Spytek, flush with more than $100 million in cap space (the most in the league), made the offensive line his first and most expensive priority. He signed center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal, making it the richest contract ever given to a center. Linderbaum is a three-time Pro Bowler who has started all 17 games in three of his four NFL seasons. He’s already spoken with guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and expressed eagerness to get to work, citing the run-blocking mindset as something he’s looking to bring to Las Vegas.
The Linderbaum signing immediately clarified the positional picture for Powers-Johnson, a second-round pick in 2024 whose role had been a question mark. Head coach Klint Kubiak said at the scouting combine that Powers-Johnson’s role was “to be determined,” but the Linderbaum deal settled the matter, solidifying JPJ at right guard. He’s a bigger, more physical player whose best attributes — pulling, climbing to the second level — play well in an interior guard role rather than at center. With Linderbaum locked in at center and Powers-Johnson slotting in at one guard spot, the Raiders have their interior foundation in place heading into the draft.
What About Raiders Starting Tackles?
The edges, however, are still a work in progress. Left tackle Kolton Miller, the longest-tenured Raider on the roster entering his ninth season, is expected back after missing 13 games last year with injuries. When healthy, Miller has been one of the better left tackles in the league, and the Raiders’ plans for protecting presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza begin with getting him back healthy.
At right tackle, D.J. Glaze returns as the incumbent starter, with 2025 third-round pick Charles Grant expected to push him for the job in camp. Glaze has shown moments of competence but has been inconsistent — he’s led the team in blown blocks in back-to-back seasons. The Raiders need to figure out whether he’s a legitimate starting right tackle or a competitive backup.
That brings it back to the guards. Jordan Meredith has been a solid veteran presence over the past few seasons and figures to factor into the competition, and Burford now enters the mix opposite Powers-Johnson. Burford’s profile fits nicely. He has starting experience, he’s versatile enough to line up on either side, and he’s familiar with Kubiak’s system from his time in San Francisco. But the Raiders’ depth at guard beyond Powers-Johnson is still a thin collection of solid-but-unproven options.
Raiders NFL Draft Focus on OL
Which is exactly why the NFL draft remains a live conversation for this position group, even with new offensive line coach Rick Dennison now charged with building the unit. The Raiders hold 10 picks in the April draft in Pittsburgh, including the No. 1 overall selection. The No. 1 pick is Mendoza, full stop. That’s not a debate. But them using draft capiutal to trade up back into the first round is very much in play, and the offensive line is one of the most natural fits for that pick.
Penn State guard Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane is widely considered the best interior offensive lineman in this class, with multiple analysts projecting him as a likely top-15 pick and a Day-1 starter. His 2025 tape is a clinic in pass protection as he didn’t allow a sack or a hit all season. He fits the profile of a guard who can protect a young franchise quarterback from the moment he steps on the field. The pairing makes intuitive sense: Linderbaum anchoring the center, Ioane stepping in next to Powers-Johnson, with Miller healthy on the blind side. That’s a legitimate starting interior unit built around a first-year quarterback who will need all the help he can get. But the Raiders can’t get him unless they pull a draft day deal.
Multiple mock drafts have the Raiders selecting Ioane if they can get a second pick, which is a big if, with analysts noting that Las Vegas would be in search of interior protection for its new franchise quarterback. The team hasn’t tipped its hand, and with significant receiver and pass-rush needs also on the board, there’s no guarantee they go guard in the first round with an extra pick.
Other prospects circulating mid-first round include Miami edge rusher Reuben Bain and USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Both of whom would address genuine needs. If not, there are options we’ll look at in the second round as well.
But if the goal is protecting Mendoza — and it obviously is — there’s an argument that for them to trade up into the mid-first round to get it.
The Linderbaum signing was the big swing. Burford is the depth move. The draft pick, if it goes there, would be the finishing touch on an offensive line that has nowhere to go but up.
