James has inked a lucrative three-year contract worth $24 million, securing $16 million as guaranteed money. According to reports from Rapoport, he is slated to pocket $10 million in the first year of this deal.
Starting his journey with the organization as an undrafted rookie in 2019, the 26-year-old has steadily climbed the ranks, eventually cementing his position as a starter. Throughout the 2023 season, James showcased his skills by starting in all 16 regular-season games.
His presence promises stability for head coach Antonio Pierce’s offense, a crucial aspect given the team’s imminent risk of losing three offensive line starters to free agency. With right guard Greg Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor both eyeing the open market, James’ role becomes even more pivotal.
In the 2023 season, James demonstrated unwavering performance in both pass protection and run blocking. This was reflected in his impressive grade of 74.6 from Pro Football Focus, marking the highest point in his career. Across 963 snaps, he allowed just four sacks and committed a mere three penalties.
Back in March 2021, the UCLA alum secured a two-year extension with the team, valued at $8.6 million, as per Spotrac records. Remarkably, James has maintained a clean bill of health since becoming a full-time starter, participating in 48 out of a possible 51 regular-season games over the past three seasons.
Notably, during the 2021 campaign, he didn’t miss a single snap of the 1,140 offensive plays executed by Las Vegas (according to Pro Football Reference).
Despite the Raiders’ underwhelming rushing performance in 2023, averaging just 90.7 yards per game, James, along with the rest of the presumably revamped offensive line, is geared up to steer the team back on course.
