It's been a long calendar year for Las Vegas Raiders guard Denzelle Good. Originally a right guard for Las Vegas, he switched to the left side to fill in for an injured Richie Incognito in 2020. The next season, while preparing to switch back to the right side, Incognito once again suffered an injury, missing the entirety of the year. As such, Good was subjected to the left side for the second straight season.

Unfortunately for Good, he would soon join Incognito on the Injured Reserves list, tearing his ACL in a week-one contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Then, in a bombshell announcement earlier on Monday, Good announced he's hanging up his cleats and calling it a career.

There's a bit of speculation on why the 31-year-old suddenly retired, but the most likely scenario is the body healed differently than Good expected.

Now, as mandatory camp roars on for the Raiders, the Silver and Black are forced to find a replacement at one of their guard spots, and they have to do so quickly. Who are the two most likely players to step into a starting role on the Raiders' offensive line, and take over for Good?

*Watch NFL Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

2 Options For The Raiders In Replacing The Now Retired Denzelle Good

2. Lester Cotton

Surprisingly, Cotton is the most likely replacement for Good as we speak. To a degree, it's possible Cotton was already on pace to take the job from Good either way.

According to multiple reports, Cotton has been a top dog in camp, consistently earning starting reps on the line. Earlier in the week, Good was even reported to take a back seat to Cotton for a while, presumably to nurse the lingering effects of his injury.

As Las Vegas Review Journal reporter Vincent Bonsignore tells it, former Raider Richie Incognito was quite fond of Cotton. Sometime last week, Incognito gave his words of endorsement on the guard, enforcing what's appeared to be a mentorship.

Cotton has continuously been reported to have a strong camp this year, and everyone seems to be taking notice. The Alabama alum has played only five snaps on the Las Vegas' offensive line since joining the team in 2019.

The 26-year-old signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft.

1. Alex Leatherwood

The situation with Alex Leatherwood is a strange one. Given his versatility, the first-round draft pick in 2021 can play anywhere on the line.

Leatherwood was drafted to be the right tackle of the future in Las Vegas, but early struggles made the team shift Leatherwood to guard. At guard, the former Alabama offensive lineman improved, leaving a real possibility that he may start at the position in 2022 as is. That said, it seems more likely for the 23-year-old to transition back to tackle — or at least, it did prior to Good retiring.

Here's the real scoop with the Leatherwood situation; This offseason, the Raiders shelled out $3.5 million to keep right tackle Brandon Parker around. That money makes Parker the 18th-highest paid right tackle, and if you believe Parker won't be starting, it's the head and shoulders highest salary for a backup right tackle.

Considering the faith Las Vegas has in Parker to hand him a contract of this magnitude, it only makes sense that there's plans for Parker to see the field. That's where Leatherwood shifting to guard so Parker can play right tackle comes into play.

In the simplest terms, Parker is the new man on the line in Good's absence, and Leatherwood is the one filling in at guard where Good played. With the money given to Parker, it's evident Las Vegas' coaching staff wants him on the field if possible, and if you shift Leatherwood to guard–where the '21 rookie found some success last year–it's easy to insert Parker.

Leatherwood's most memorable moments at guard last season came in the elimination game against the division rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18. Facing Pro Bowler Joey Bosa, the Raiders' rookie allowed only two pressures, not letting Bosa hit home through the contest.

Parker, who would take Leatherwood's [assumed] right tackle position in this scenario, allowed eight sacks while committing nine penalties in 2021. Parker filled in at right tackle last season, once Leatherwood was moved to the inside.

Here, from left to right, the Raiders' offensive line would read: Miller, Leatherwood, James, Parham, Parker. Additionally, it's entirely possible both of these moves are made, with Cotton being inserted into the starting lineup, as well as Leatherwood shifting to guard. This lineup would be similar to the above, but with Cotton tagging in for the rookie Dylan Parham.

With the versatility of the Raiders' offensive line players, there's a lot of ways the team can approach this. Let's see what happens.