Raiders' Breakout Star Meredith Earns Massive Recognition

Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Jordan Meredith has been one of the NFL's most pleasant surprises this season.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders guard Jordan Meredith (61) runs onto the field against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders don't have a very good offensive line, and addressing it should be one of their top priorities heading into the NFL offseason.

However, in spite of the Raiders' offensive line struggles as a collective, they do boast one of the biggest rising stars in the trenches.

Guard Jordan Meredith.

Now in his third NFL season, Meredith has emerged as a stalwart for Las Vegas and has been sensational in his seven starts.

The 26-year-old has been so dominant, as a matter of fact, that Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team has named him the league's top breakout offensive lineman in 2024.

"Picking out a breakout lineman isn't the easiest job because there's so much that goes into evaluating the position. However, what's not debatable is that Jordan Meredith has been a godsend for the Raiders in the midst of another rough year," Valentino wrote. "Splitting his time between both guard spots, Meredith has found a home on the left side of the line."

An undrafted free agent out of Western Kentucky, Meredith originally joined the Raiders in August 2022. He was then released by Las Vegas in September before re-joining the squad that December. He signed a reserve/future contract in January 2023 and has been in the silver and black ever since.

"He's yet to allow a sack this season, boasting 98.8 pass-block efficiency and giving up only one penalty," added Valentino. "With Meredith on only a one-year deal, he'll be one of the premium free agents this spring."

The catch is that Meredith is set to be an exclusive rights free agent, so the Raiders control their own destiny here. If they tender him a qualifying offer, he will either have to sign the one-year tender or sit out the season.

So, barring an extreme change in circumstances, Meredith will almost certainly remain in Las Vegas for 2025, and that will be a major boon for the Raiders.

Las Vegas still absolutely needs to add some pieces up front, but it's nice to know that it may have one major piece in place heading into the future.

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