Can Thayer Munford Jr. Push for More Snaps?

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Ohio State offensive lineman Thayer Munford Jr. in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he is now entering his second season with the team.

The Raiders’ offensive line was impressive as a unit last season, as they were not selected to be one of the better lines in the NFL before the 2022 season, but were selected as one at season’s end.

The Raiders are seemingly running it back with the same offensive line grouping they did last season after they performed well under first year Coach Josh McDaniels.

However, that does not mean that those are the only five offensive linemen who will play next season. Brandon Parker is healthy again after missing all of 2022 with injuries. Greg Van Roten is capable of playing a healthy amount of snaps.

Even Munford, a day three selection in last year’s draft, should be in line for more snaps. He played 369 snaps last season for the Raiders, a majority of those coming at right tackle according to Pro Football Focus.

With a few capable right tackles at his disposal, McDaniels can have an open competition at that position. While Jermaine Eluemunor played well in 2022, the door is open for someone like Munford to earn himself more snaps in 2023.

One thing Munford has going for him is the fact that the Raiders did not select an offensive lineman in the entirety of the 2023 NFL Draft. They only added McClendon Curtis out of Tennessee-Chattanooga and Dalton Wagner out of Arkansas as undrafted free agents.

This will limit the number of competitors for snaps that Munford would have to go up against.

The former two-time First-Team All-Big Ten lineman is looking to break through with the Raiders in his second year. This preseason will be crucial for him, as his performances in those games could be how he will earn more snaps once the regular season rolls around.

Having so many capable linemen is a good problem to have for McDaniels. One of those linemen is the young Munford who, with a good preseason, could earn himself more snaps in 2023.

The Las Vegas Raiders open training camp for the entire team on July 25, 2023.

The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

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