The vibes surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders right now can only be described as immaculate.
Raiders fans were already riding high after Maxx Crosby‘s extension on Wednesday ensured that the face of the franchise would remain in that role for the foreseeable future. Then, on Friday, the Raiders made a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to bring quarterback Geno Smith to Las Vegas, giving the team a viable starter under center for 2025. With the two biggest issues this offseason now out of the way, new general manager John Spytek deserves his flowers for handling them promptly and effectively.
However, not every decision made over the past week has been pretty, and lost in the news of Crosby and Smith is the release of one of last season’s free agent whiffs.
The Raiders are expected to release offensive lineman Andre James when the league year begins on March 12.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders will release the longtime starter, who has been with the organization since their last seasons in Oakland.
The #Raiders plan to release starting center Andre James after the new league year begins, per The Insiders.
One of the last players remaining from the Oakland days, James played in 89 games with 60 starts over six seasons. pic.twitter.com/y9qLz7dANE
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 7, 2025
Prior to last offseason, the Raiders re-signed James to a three-year, $24 million deal before he hit free agency. Unfortunately, James lost his starting center role and became a prime candidate for release. The team saves $3.15 million in the move.
While James has some value in a weak center market, the Raiders clearly did not feel comfortable paying a hefty price for a backup offensive lineman.
2024 second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson claimed the starting center role midseason and never gave up the position. The Raiders also signed guard Alex Cappa on Wednesday, providing competition for young guards Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith. Simply put, there was no room for James on the roster, especially not at his price tag.
The Raiders have made significant strides with their roster over the past few days, and James’s release is another move to take note of as the team prepares for free agency.
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