It was apparent a year ago and pretty much every moment since then that the Raiders had a real problem at tackle. Despite this glaring issue, they did next to nothing to address it this offseason. So, it should come as no surprise the problem has not magically fixed itself. If anything, it’s worse now, because the season is fast approaching.
This issue is mainly about finding a viable starting right tackle. But based on what we saw in the Hall of Fame game last week, it extends even farther than that.
The Raiders used their first round pick in 2021 on Alex Leatherwood who lost the starting job four weeks into the season and has never gotten it back.
Thus far in camp, reports have Brandon Parker lining up as the first team right tackle more times than not. Despite countless chances over his first four seasons to develop into a starting caliber tackle, and never showing it, he is getting yet another shot and appears to be the leader in that race.
In reality, the Raiders should not be going into the season with Parker as the starter. It’s not just risky, it’s a risk that they’ve taken and been bitten by on more than one occasion already.
The problem there is should Parker take a backup spot, the ideal situation would be that the backup is a swing tackle. It was his performance in the Hall of Fame game that proved he is simply not the answer at swing tackle.
With the Raiders sitting Kolton Miller for the game, Parker got the start…and he was completely destroyed. This included getting worked over by journeyman former Raiders edge rusher Arden Key.
Josh McDaniels said he will be trying out a few others on the left side for this Sunday’s preseason game against the Vikings.
“You’ll see a few different people over there,” McDaniels said of the left tackle spot. “We did some of that against Jacksonville. It’s an important opportunity. It’s like the backup quarterback; nobody talks about him until it’s the most important person in the organization. The same thing is true for the left tackle and the person that would swing on either side. Once you have an injury all of a sudden that position becomes really important. It’s not easy. So, to have the ability to do that, and we flop some guys during training camp to give them opportunities to work at that. It’s something that takes a lot of reps. It’s something that you’re getting a lot of calls on the right side that you’re not getting on the left side, so you’ve got to think very quickly on both sides. We’re going to gain more knowledge on that for sure on Sunday.”
Parker has been missing practice all week, so naturally other guys will have to get a look. But the mere fact that through last week he was leading the way among the tackles tells you something about the group as a whole.
They clearly don’t see Leatherwood as the answer if he’s playing behind Parker. And Josh McDaniels made it clear that while rookie Thayer Munford has gained a lot of confidence, the seventh round pick has “a long way to go.”
That leaves just Jermaine Eluemunor who started at right tackle for McDaniels for a season in New England, but who otherwise has spent much of his career lining up at guard.
Either someone on the roster needs to really step up soon or more drastic moves must be made. The prospect of going into the season with no starting right tackle and no trusted swing tackle is a very scary proposition, especially for the hopes of a high-powered offense.
