How Andrus Peat fits in with Raiders offensive line: Another starting right tackle option?

Exploring the free-agent signing’s potential role on the team

In the last week and a half since the NFL Draft ended, the Las Vegas Raiders have been busy filling the remaining holes on the roster with a few veteran free-agent signings. Recently, the Raiders reached an agreement with former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Andrus Peat.

Peat is a nine-year veteran who has made the Pro Bowl three times (2018-2020) and has over 100 career starts to his name. Naturally, the questions come up of how the 30-year-old fits in with Las Vegas’ current offensive line, and if he can be another starting right tackle option.

The Raiders right tackle situation has been widely discussed throughout the offseason. Thayer Munford Jr. is presumed to be the team’s starter heading into training camp, and the front office gave Munford a vote of confidence by not selecting another tackle option in the draft until the third round. Granted, signing a veteran like Peat could add another competitor to the position battle.

However, the last time Peat took snaps on the right edge was in 2018 and it was just two at that, via Pro Football Focus. Also, he’s only logged 80 regular-season reps at that spot in his career with the other 78 snaps coming during his rookie year. He has much more experience as a left tackle with nearly 2,000 career snaps.

Granted, it’s not out of the question for the nine-year veteran to flip sides of the center, and he out-performed Munford in pass protection last season with 30 pressures allowed on 459 opportunities compared to 28 on 291 for the latter, per PFF. But Munford was the superior run-blocker with an 80.4 PFF grade in that department, 18.3 points higher than Peat’s mark.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Most likely, the free-agent signing will serve as a backup offensive lineman who can fill in at guard or tackle. That’s where he lined up during his three Pro Bowl seasons, and he has nearly 4,500 career snaps at left guard.

However, Peat doesn’t have any regular-season experience at right guard, which is where Jordan Meredith might have a slight advantage given that Meredith has gotten reps at all three interior spots over the last three years.

Additionally, Cody Whitehair has taken snaps at center and both guard spots — albeit, not many at right guard (208) — to add another potential second-string option in the middle of the Raiders’ line. It also helps that Whitehair is familiar with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s system having played for Getsy over the last two years.

The most natural or obvious spot for Peat on Las Vegas’ roster is as a backup left tackle. Currently, the team has DJ Glaze, Jalen McKenzie, Dalton Wagner and Andrew Coker listed on the depth chart as backup options behind Kolton Miller. Glaze and Coker are rookies while McKenzie and Wagner are former undrafted free agents who haven’t seen any regular-season action.

McKenzie has also struggled in his two preseasons, posting a 38.6 PFF grade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022 and 48.8 last year with the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, Wagner had a solid performance last summer with a 63.6 mark and only four pressures surrendered, but he exclusively lined up on the right edge.

So, Peat can provide a veteran presence for a rather young position group for the Silver and Black. However, his role on the team is likely caped as a backup left tackle and guard option, barring some changes or injuries during training camp.