spencer burford
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Former San Francisco 49ers OL Spencer Burford.
The Las Vegas Raiders are in the process of building a roster that fits new head coach Klint Kubiak. Part of that is bringing in some players he’s familiar with.
The Raiders had the worst offensive line in the NFL last season, but much of that was due to poor coaching. Regardless, Kubiak might want to bring in an offensive lineman he’s worked with before.
According to the NFL’s transaction wire, the Raiders hosted offensive lineman Spencer Burford for a visit. He first came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers. He started 38 games in four seasons with the team.
Burford worked with Kubiak in 2023 when he was the passing game coordinator for the 49ers. The veteran offensive lineman has experience playing at guard and at tackle, so he could make sense as a depth option.
Burford hasn’t gotten a contract yet, so it remains to be seen if the Raiders will sign him. It never hurts to have more experience on the offensive line, especially on a young team. He was a little banged up last season, but if his health checks out, he’d be a logical addition for Las Vegas and Kubiak to make.
Tyler Linderbaum on Relationship With QB
Burford could be a signing for depth purposes, but the Raiders already spent big on an upgrade at starter. The team handed a record-breaking contract to center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency.
While many might argue that the Raiders overpaid for the Pro Bowler, he could be more valuable to them than many other teams. Las Vegas likely has a rookie quarterback coming in, and Linderbaum explained why the relationship between a center and a quarterback is so important.
“I think the relationship with the quarterback [and] center is really important. Communication, understanding … protections and putting the team in the best position possible on that play — it’s certainly important,” Linderbaum told Jacob Hester and PatKirwan of “Movin’ the Chains.” “We’ve got to have a relationship. Lamar and I certainly had a relationship and I think it comes down to, it’s very important. And that starts throughout the week with your preparation, game prep. You’ve got to be seeing the same things that the quarterback’s seeing and vice versa. I think that’s what’s going to build a strong unit.”
Raiders Could Still Draft OL Early
This year’s draft should be interesting for the future of the Raiders. We’ll get a much better idea of what positions Kubiak and general manager John Spytek value most.
Spytek has spoken about how important it is to build through the trenches, but he selected a running back and a wide receiver with his first two draft picks last year.
With the No. 1 pick likely to be used on a quarterback, what the Raiders do in the second round could be telling. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team target the offensive line. It’s a group that needs work, and even if the Raiders feel like they already have five starters, it’s never bad to have more depth.