With free agency only one week away, here at the Raiders Wire, we will be reviewing every position and examine which positions require upgrades. Next up on our list is the offensive line position.
OT Kolton Miller
Kolton Miller’s career will always be connected to Derwin James. The Raiders decided to take Miller two spots ahead of James in the 2018 draft, who almost won the defensive rookie of the year while Miller struggled to adjust to the NFL game.
The athletic left tackle from UCLA did not make the best impression his first year and did not set the tone for Jon Gruden and his future draft outlooks.
Miller led the league in sacks allowed in 2018, with Pro Football Focus crediting him with 16. Pro Football Focus also credited him with 65 total pressures allowed during the season.
Fans will mention how Miller dealt with injuries for most of the year, but 65 pressures is a concern and he needs to evolve dramatically in this area if he is the starting left tackle of the future.
OG Kelechi Osemele
Kelechi Osemele is a two-time Pro-bowl guard and was an All-Pro player in 2016. Osemele is a monster guard who adds attitude and toughness to the Raiders offensive line. In 2018, we started to see a real decline in his play, which caused the entire offensive line to regress.
Osemele was solid in pass protection allowing 17 pressures during the season according to Pro Football Focus. He regressed in his former area of strength, which was moving defenders in the run scheme.
The Raiders are running a zone scheme that does not fit Osemele and is a good reason why the Raiders could move on from the former pro bowler. His salary cap number does not help his case either. Spending 10 million on an aging guard is not good for business. Expect the Raiders to consider releasing him this offseason.
C Rodney Hudson
Rodney Hudson is the stud and is arguably the best player on the Raiders’ football team. Through all the drama, Hudson’s steady play helped him make a case for the best center in the league.
Hudson did not allow a sack all season with five total pressures allowed altogether. Hudson is great with his technique and helps Carr make his checks at the line. His ability in pass protection helps against Carr’s greatest weakness, which is interior pressure — keeping defensive tackles out of Carr’s face allowing him to step up in the pocket without fear.
Hudson should never leave this building, and the Raiders should find a way to keep him around for the foreseeable future.
OG Gabe Jackson
Jackson displayed once again that he is a solid guard in the NFL with another season of steady play in 2018. The former third-round pick finally missed games due to injury but displayed his toughness by finishing the Steelers game with an elbow injury that ended his season.
Jackson’s best quality has always been pass protection, and that was no different in 2018. He finished the year allowing only five sacks on his 540 passing snaps according to Pro Football Focus, and only 23 pressures total.
Jackson is still producing against NFL competition in a passing league where attempts rise every year. He will be with the Raiders for the foreseeable future.
OT Brandon Parker
Brandon Parker is a former FCS standout who joined the starting lineup after Donald Penn went down to injury last season. Parker struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL, which led to embarrassing performances and Carr under pressure all game.
He allowed 43 pressures and ten sacks on 490 passing snaps according to Pro Football Focus. Parker struggled with his hands and was not able to get to his set points to beat edge rushers. Parker did show promise in the running game, producing high-level blocks and opening up holes with his athleticism in the zone scheme.
The Raiders finished the season averaging 4.5 yards running to the right side in 2019 The Raiders like Parker and will give him every chance to start next season.
OT Donald Penn
Donald Penn was a player whose career seemed to be over when the Buccaneers cut him in the 2014 offseason. But then, he would later sign with the Raiders, adding two Pro Bowl nods to his career resume. He’s been one of the most consistent tackles in the league over the past decade.
The Raiders moved Penn to right tackle last season, and he played solid until he sustained an injury against the Dolphins. Penn got stronger as the season went along and should win his spot back against Parker in competition during training camp. Expect Penn to be back for the 2019 season.
Free Agency and the Draft
The Raiders first have to decide what to do with Osemele. Everything points to them moving on with no more guaranteed money owed to the former Pro Bowler, which would free up 10 million in cap space. This move has not happened as of yet, but fans should be on the lookout for this going into free agency.
There is no splash offensive lineman in free agency unless the Raiders go all out for Trent Brown, which would be an upgrade at right tackle. Other than that, it is mostly journeyman veterans who are left over, and the Raiders have a better chance at gambling with what they already have on the roster.
The draft features plenty of upgrades at guard, especially early on day 2 picking a player like Erik McCoy out of Texas A&M at pick 35. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has the Raiders taking Cody Ford and moving him to guard in his latest mock draft. Ford has excellent technique, but does not have the athleticism for tackle and would be an excellent replacement for Osemele at the next level.
