The Raiders appeared to be searching for their five best offensive linemen during the preseason, especially after right tackle Brandon Parker suffered a season-ending injury.
When Las Vegas traded last year’s first-round pick, offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood, the situation up front became more uncertain. Their two starters on the right side last season were suddenly gone.
So it’s not a complete surprise that the Raiders shuffled linemen in and out of the lineup — on the right side, specifically — during their Week 1 loss to the Chargers. It’s rare to see, but it’s understandable.
Unfortunately for coach Josh McDaniels, it didn’t work. Quarterback Derek Carr was hit nine times, looked uncomfortable for most of the game, threw three interceptions, and fumbled twice.
But McDaniels says the O-Line search, if there ever was a search, is over. He’s found a surplus of linemen — seven, at this point — who deserve to play.
Here’s part of what McDaniels told reporters on Monday about his personnel shuffle up front, according to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed.
“We’re not searching for anything. We’re playing the guys that deserve to play,” McDaniels said. “If something were to break and we say, ‘Hey, these five are clearly different from the other five,’ then we could go in that direction.”
So if five linemen suddenly appear ready to take the field together and grow as one unit, McDaniels would welcome it. But he’s not searching. Perhaps he’s casually looking. Maybe he’s simply hoping for the best as he studies game film.
That would make a lot more sense if the line had played better on Sunday. Instead, it looked like McDaniels was indeed searching for answers, though he said postgame that the plan was to play multiple linemen all along. But clearly, having five starters on the line is what every team wants.
A starting five is certainly what Carr is used to, as are all quarterbacks. Seeing players shuffle in and out of the lineup, when they are literally protecting Carr’s health and career, can’t instill confidence. Judging from the Raiders’ Week 1 loss, Las Vegas should have searched much harder during the offseason for more proven blockers.
The run blocking was better than the pass blocking, however, and McDaniels also said that pass protection is a team effort. The running backs have to do their part, he said, and there were times when Carr could have thrown the ball earlier.
Carr is actually an ace at getting rid of the ball quickly, but he also needs decent pass protection over the course of a game. When he loses confidence in his blockers, his play can deteriorate and he can become turnover prone, as he was in Week 1. Plus, he’s not adept at off-script playmaking or scrambling from the pocket.
McDaniels should know that about his QB. It’s early, but his plan along the offensive line is not working. Whether he’s searching for a legit starting five or not, they need to play better, whoever is out there. There’s plenty of time for that to happen, starting this Sunday against the Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium.
