QB Aidan O’Connell of the Las Vegas Raiders sends C Andre James a message in three powerful words.
This season, the offense of the Las Vegas Raiders will feature a number of new elements. But with the return of experienced offensive lineman Andre James, the center position won’t be one of them.
Over the past two seasons, there have been several changes on the offensive side of the ball for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders are on their third offensive coordinator in the last two seasons, including Bo Hardegree. Over the course of the remaining summer, they plan to add fresh players to their offensive line under the direction of their new offensive line coach. Already, Las Vegas is beginning to put together a cohesive offensive line. Fortunately, they won’t have to fill what are likely the most important offensive line spots.
In the previous three seasons, they have started three different quarterbacks. Center Andre James has spent the last five seasons with the Raiders, making him one of the few offensive constants on the squad. James’ best season may have been the one he had last year since he was effective on the field and helped Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell stay cool after he was thrust into the starting lineup without warning midway through his rookie campaign.
When the second-year quarterback addressed the media on Monday, he discussed the value that the seasoned offensive tackle holds for him.
“Andre James, aka Dre, is amazing. A really relaxed person, yet he’s passionate and driven to succeed on the field, according to O’Connell. We’re glad he’s here since he performed a great job for us last year and was clearly rewarded for it. And merely a guy, I believe the other guys would enjoy having him around if you were to ask them.
“Very humorous individual, a pleasure to have around the locker room and in the huddle. Furthermore, it goes without saying that last year, we handled a lot of protections and played a big role in the run game. He thus attempted to assist me as much as he could, helped me out a lot, and cleared a lot of stuff off my plate. I’m grateful to him for sure.”
Christian Wilkins, a defensive lineman, was one major acquisition made by the Raiders this summer. But keeping James on a team with so many fresh faces may have been one of general manager Tom Telesco’s better choices during his first season in Oakland.
The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25–27, 2024, in Detroit, Michigan. With the 13th overall pick right now, it belongs to the Las Vegas Raiders.
To ensure that you never miss another breaking news item, make sure to follow @HondoCarpenter on Twitter and @HondoSr on Instagram.
