Apparently, whenever I’ve referenced Dylan Parham’s weight of 285 pounds in the past, I was way off.
Specifically, 47 pounds off the mark.
The Las Vegas Raiders left guard cleared the air during his post-practice media session this past Sunday regarding his weight and the team’s official website now shows what he tips the scale at.
“Yeah, that was like my college weight. Which is crazy, because I don’t know why it didn’t get updated,” Parham explained. “I haven’t been 285 probably since my sophomore
or junior year in college. So, I don’t know where the 285 came from, but I was like, maybe that’ll help me, because they think I’m light or something, but I haven’t been that light in a minute.”
A bit of skepticism is warranted. The Raiders did list Parham at 285 last season and the years prior. Hence why the follow-up question regarding the Memphis product’s weight sounded comical.
“I was like, 325-ish last year. So, I was like, couple extra pounds,” Parham answered when asked if he had gained any weight after looking like he hadn’t. “And then I know, with the heat out here, it’s going to be natural that I lose some. And so being in a position of where I don’t lose too much and still be in a good spot for when the season starts, that’s what I’ve been looking forward to.”
The soon-to-be 26-year-old (on Aug. 24) offensive lineman is locked in at left guard for the Raiders and the third-round pick (90th overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft is ready to roll under the new regime of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. While there’s still a competition at center and right guard between Jordan Meredith and Jackson Powers-Johnson — Meredith seems to be the frontrunner at pivot after JPJ was expected to be the key cog in the middle — Parham, left tackle Kolton Miller and right tackle DJ Glaze look set in stone to be among the starting five.
When asked specifically about how Las Vegas offensive line is coming together, Parham noted the team has “a new starting center”. Which is a bit telling. He was of course referring to Meredith and highlighted what makes the undrafted free agent out of Western Kentucky a standout at pivot.
“First of all, Jordan has been my guy since I first got here. So, I’ve just been able to see his growth since my rookie year. I’m excited for him to get opportunity to come out here and play and represent the Raiders. He’s a great communicator, man. So, I mean, he communicates, he tells you exactly what you need to do. He makes it very simplistic for everybody else on the offense line to get to where we need to go,” Parham explained. “So that’s something that you want to look for in a center. Just understanding the defense, understanding what it is that we’re trying to do as offense, and then being able to play fast. He’s done a great job of it so far.”
Parham also noted that every year, offensive lines go through change and moving parts, but the more reps the group gets together is key, as is the open competition Carroll instilled in Las Vegas.
While some in Raider Nation question the veracity of Parham as a starter, consider this: Different regimes viewed the Memphis product as a starter. Parham started all 17 games from 2022-23 and 14 this past season. He’s tallied 2,961 snaps up front and despite missing two games in 2024, improved as a guard. So much so, that Pro Football Focus (PFF) dubbed Parham one of the most underrated offensive linemen ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Parham, along with the rest of the Raiders offensive line, is vital to Carroll’s inaugural season as the head honcho. In order for offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s creativity to flow, the trenches need to be on point. The initial outing against the Seattle Seahawks last Thursday wasn’t ideal — the offensive line didn’t give running back Ashton Jeanty (the prized sixth overall pick in the 2025 draft) much room to operate. That must be avoided when games count on the win-loss record coming the regular season.
Monetary Motivation
For Parham though, there’s financial ramifications tied to the 2025 campaign —which can drive the want to succeed even further. He’s on the final year of his rookie deal as he’s slated to make $3.88-plus million this season and, sans a contract extension, is slated to hit unrestricted free agency next offseason.
Looking at what guards earned this offseason, Parham can earn a solid payday by improving and having a strong upcoming year with the Raiders. The Kansas City Chiefs’ Trey Smith (four-year, $94 million contract, $46.75 million guaranteed at signing), the Minnesota Vikings’ Will Fries (five-year, $87.72 million contract, $34 million guaranteed at signing), the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Banks (four-year, $77 million contract, $27 million guaranteed at signing), and the Chicago Bears’ Jonah Jackson (three-year, $52.5 million contract, $24.5 million guaranteed at signing) are four examples of deals signing this offseason.
Banks, in particular, may be the best “template” as he’s a left guard that was taken in the second round of the 2021 draft (48th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers before signing a lucrative deal with the Green Bay.
For reference, the two highest paid left guards (according to OverTheCap) are: The Philadelphia Eagles’ Landon Dickerson (four-year, $84 million contract, $29.64 million guaranteed at signing, inked in 2024) and the Indianapolis Colts’ Quenton Nelson (four-year, $80 million contract, $41 million guaranteed at signing, inked in 2022).
Thus, financial security awaits Parham — from the Raiders or someone else.
