Raiders' Thayer Munford Jr. has Great Opportunity Ahead

Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. found himself in a position battle going into his second NFL season.

Last training camp, Munford and former Raiders offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor dueled for the starting right tackle spot, a spot that Eluemunor had originally won early on in the season.

The two linemen would each start together later on, however, when captain Kolton Miller was dealing with his late-season shoulder injury that saw him miss four games and be limited in reps in Weeks 16 and 17.

Munford proved to be vital for the Silver and Black when he stepped in for Miller, helping lead the Raiders to some big wins, including their 63-point outing against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

Eluemunor is now with the New York Giants, and that starting right tackle spot is wide open for Munford to take as he gears up for his third NFL season.

If Munford carries over his play from last year this offseason, the spot should be his, but that will also depend on if the Raiders draft an offensive tackle this month. Even then, Munford has the starting experience, which is hard to pass up.

Pro Football Focus gave Munford an overall grade of 74.1 for his 2023 season. He also received an 80.4 run-blocking grade. Munford played in 15 games, making 10 starts.

Munford has worked his way up to being a valuable contributor on the Raiders' offensive line. His experience playing all 17 games in his rookie season helped that development tremendously. Last season is going to do the same for him going forward.

Munford can be a crucial part in that consistency Las Vegas needs up front, as the Raiders had to change up the starting lineup on the offensive line quite a bit due to injuries last season.

Re-signing center Andre James also significantly helps that, as James has the veteran has served as the Raiders' starting center over the last three seasons.

The spot isn't going to be handed to Munford by any means, but if he proves in training camp that his experience from the last two years has paid off, the starting right tackle spot should have his name on it when Week 1 rolls around.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.