If you were hoping that the preseason would help solve some of the offensive line issues for the Raiders, you are probably pretty disappointed right now. Not only did the line not play well, but they also lost Brandon Parker for the season due to a triceps injury.
Going into the 2022 season, the offensive line for the Raiders appears to be one of the worst in the league on paper. And at this stage in the season, there might not be anything they can do to fix it.
In a recent article by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about the one thing we learned about every team in the preseason. For the Raiders, it was that their offensive line is still an issue. Here is what he had to say about the unit going into the season:
“Alex Leatherwood‘s release a year after being selected 17th overall highlights a broader problem the Raiders have along the offensive line. Leatherwood looked little, if any, better entering Year 2, but he wasn’t alone.
Nobody slated to start earned an above-average PFF grade overall (left tackle Kolton Miller did not play) across the preseason, and there is no true viable replacement options on the roster. The Raiders made some big plays this offseason, but the offensive line could undermine all of it.”
The good news for the Raiders is that teams have overcome bad offensive lines before. Look no further than the Cincinnati Bengals from the 2021 season. They were just a few plays away from winning the Super Bowl with one of the worst lines we’ve ever seen.
Josh McDaniels will have to get creative to hide the offensive line and Derek Carr will have to be fearless in the pocket. But make no mistake about it, this unit isn’t very good going into the 2022 season.
