The Las Vegas Raiders have found themselves quite the situation to be in. After giving both Maxx Crosby and Geno Smith a contract extension, one of their best offensive players, and one that has been with them since the Oakland days.
Kolton Miller, the Raiders’ starting left tackle, is in a contract dispute as his three-year, $54 million extension from 2021 nears its end. The 29-year-old has started 107 games over seven seasons, including all 17 last year despite dealing with injuries. He wants a new deal with secured money, so much so that Miller has skipped voluntary offseason workouts to pressure the Raiders, who have not started extension talks, according to reports, and now according to the Raiders.
And, this has started talks on whether or not the Raiders would trade Miller, with teams like the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks being names thrown out there as good fits. If he doesn't get traded, the Raiders may want to play him as much as possible this year after drafting an offensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Anything is possible in this crazy league. And, with how things are, we really have no clue what's going to happen, and the team certainly ins't making it any easier on us.
"I'm just going to give you our answer, and it's going to be this going forward: we’re not going to discuss contracts publicly, and this is certainly a voluntary part of the offseason program," general manager John Spytek said on Friday. "So, guys are free to come and go as they please."
With how this draft class is, the Raiders could very well take an offensive tackle early in the draft, whether they extend Miller or not. Both Kolton Miller and DJ Glaze were both top-10 in blown blocks last season with 40 each, and apart of an offensive line that allowed the fifth-most sacks.
If they do draft one, there are only a few impact guys at the OT spots in this draft, guys that can really play right away in 2025. So, if that was going to be the move, the first or second round may be the best time to do so.
We have less than a week to see what they end up deciding.