The Las Vegas Raiders still need help at offensive line, and they've signed Spencer Burford to fill a hole at guard.
Most of the buzz surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders revolves around the aftermath of the ill-fated Maxx Crosby trade, but the Raiders are still making moves that have nothing to do with the return of their star defensive end.
One of those moves was signing offensive guard Spencer Burford earlier this week, with the signing reported by Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. Burford started 11 games last year for the San Francisco 49ers, including both of San Francisco’s playoff games.
Before that he was a backup in 2024, and the 25-year old Burford played for four years with the 49ers after they drafted him in the fourth round in 2022. Burford also started 29 games in his first two seasons, so he's been in and out of the lineup in San Francisco for a while now.
This isn’t an earth-shattering move, but it is significant. The Raiders offensive line was awful last year, and they’ve already embarked on an overhaul, signing former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum to a record-breaking deal that reset the market for centers.
The Raiders have some talent at guard, but this is by no means an accomplished group. Jackson Powers-Johnson was supposed to be the center coming out of Oregon in 2024, but the second-round struggled with the adjustment to the NFL in the middle of the line, which led to the Linderbaum signing as the Raiders slid him over to guard. Powers-Johnson also struggled with a midseason injury, so it’s not surprising that the Raiders made this move.
Perhaps teh most significant aspect of this signing was that Burford also visited the Los Angeles Chargers before signing with the Raiders, a decision that could indicate renewed respect for Las Vegas based on the arrival of new coach Klint Kubiak. Burford has a career total of 2,162 snaps, and he’s also had 273 on special teams.
This probably isn’t the last major move the Raiders will make in the offensive-line overhaul. Left tackle Kolton Miller is expected to be back and healthy after an injury-riddled season last year, and the Raiders will almost certainly draft a tackle and add some offensive line depth late in the draft.
The Crosby trade has sucked up all the oxygen in Las Vegas, but baby steps like this signing matter. The Raiders went into this season with holes up and down the roster, and adding Burford might plug one of them, especially since he has experience at both guard positions.