It was great to see the Las Vegas Raiders get their first win of the season against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. Overall, it was a solid performance on their end and there aren’t many reasons to be picky about it. However, one area of concern moving forward will be right tackles Trent Brown’s availability or lack thereof.
The Raiders beat the Panthers but it wasn’t perfect
The Raiders had a solid game against the Panthers, there’s no doubt about it. They let running back Josh Jacobs run through Carolina’s defense and quarterback Derek Carr played efficiently. Moreover, their offensive line only allowed three pressures all game long. Their defense bent but didn’t break when it mattered the most in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, their defensive line can play better as a whole after just recording a sack.
The Raiders front four surely needs to play better as a unit but at an individual level, Brown is getting plenty of attention due not to what he did but rather because of what he didn’t do. After dealing with injuries all in training camp, the right tackle just played three snaps against the Panthers. This isn’t just a one-time occurrence either as he’s played more than 10 snaps in just 10 of the 17 games he has suited up. Also, he has missed five games after signing a four-year $44 million contract with the Raiders.
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What’s up with Trent Brown and his injuries?
It’s certainly frustrating for the Raiders to demand a return in their investment. The coaching staff has the right to be angry about Brown not being available. Were he a fringe player, this wouldn’t be a huge deal, but the right tackle isn’t a backup. The organization paid a premium for his services and wants to see him on the field. Adding to the grievance is that guard Denzell Good stepped up at right tackle once Brown and Sam Young went down with injuries. If Good, who is a guard, can play the right tackle position well, why are they paying Brown?
Nobody likes to see players sustain injuries and teams can’t control that kind of situation. The Raiders didn’t definitely foresee Brown being injured in his first 17 games with the team. Although the veteran could turn out to be injury-prone, it’s too early to say whether that will be the case. Maybe he’s just going through a bad streak and he will eventually be fine.
Let’s wait and see how this one plays out
Another point of criticism regarding Brown has been that he is a bad teammate. There are no serious reports about that being true and the closest thing to evidence of him not liking the Raiders or bad behavior is a picture where he’s in the back of a team huddle. Not everyone is the same and Brown isn’t as outgoing as his teammates isn’t a character flaw, he’s just different.
The Raiders definitely need to see more of Brown, but to suggest he’s a bad teammate or that the team should trade him is just too much. His tenure with the Raiders may not work out in the long run, but let the man play some games before the organization comes up with some sort of resolution. After all, he may see the field in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.
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Top Photo: Peter Joneleit/Associated Press
