The Las Vegas Raiders are in the process of revamping their offensive line. This offseason, the Silver and Black made one of the biggest splashes in free agency, signing Tyler Linderbaum. Moreover, they also drafted Trey Zuhn III in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas is hoping that Kolton Miller returns healthy, and there are young, intriguing pieces like Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant entering Year 2.
Furthermore, former third-round pick DJ Glaze will only be 24 when the 2026 season starts and is in Year 3, and Jackson Powers-Johnson is only 23 as the former second-round pick enters Year 3.
With the Raiders hoping that it clicks for some of these young offensive linemen, the Silver and Black are being urged to consider a veteran that could help them now and show the promising talent the ropes.
In a May 16 article, FanSided’s Austen Bundy sees the Silver and Black as a landing spot for veteran tackle Taylor Decker, who spent a decade with the Detroit Lions and was granted his release this offseason.
“Decker is still a worthy commodity for a team that may be worried about offensive line depth,” Bundy wrote. “I’m primarily looking at those with young quarterbacks like the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders, but he could also be snatched up later on by a Super Bowl contender.
“Teams don’t necessarily like to spend draft capital on midseason trades for linemen but who knows, maybe a shortened campaign will allow Decker to display a new burst of energy on a potential playoff run.”
Taylor Decker’s Age Could Be Catching Up to Him
It will be interesting to see what Decker decides to do if a contending team decides to scoop him up if there’s an injury in OTAs or mandatory minicamp, or could he be content with being a veteran on a rebuilding team like the Raiders?
Moreover, Bundy notes that there are concerns regarding Decker, as last season he showed his age.
“The 32-year-old requested to be released after contract discussions with the Lions turned his situation in Detroit sour,” Bundy wrote. “Decker earned a 67.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025, which landed him 41st amongst those at his position (out of 89 total).
“While his age and declining performance perhaps factored into Detroit’s approach with Decker, a split was probably the right decision for both parties.”
The former Lions player, despite being in his early 30s, probably wants to show that he still has plenty of football left in the tank.
What Would Taylor Decker Bring to the Raiders?
Last season, Decker posted a 67.9 overall PFF grade while playing 894 offensive snaps for the Lions. The veteran allowed 33 total pressures in pass protection, including two sacks and three hits allowed to opposing pass rushers. Moreover, Decker received five penalties during the season.
Decker will probably wait out to see how his market shapes up and ge avoids OTAs as he decides what to do next after his release in March, but it’s clear he wants to play another season. Meanwhile, the Raiders have young talent on that offensive line, but having the right mentors and leaders will help shape them into impact players in this rebuild.
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