The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves with quite a problem at the tackle position. Kolton Miller’s status as the left tackle is unquestionable right now, but the right side is another deal.
Brandon Parker got the start in Miller’s place last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars but was thoroughly outclassed. For all of the offseason, it appeared that Parker was going to be the starting right tackle. However, following both his struggles and injury, that’s in serious doubt. Moving forward, the Raiders might need to look outside the organization. Unfortunately, they’re running out of options.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from head coach Josh McDaniels, it’s that he’s trying different lineups in order to find the most optimal combination. For example, we could see Alex Leatherwood at either slot (right guard or tackle) in the O-line this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Raiders fans might even witness plenty of action from Thayer Munford as there’s not much depth behind them. Optimally speaking, Las Vegas needs to add another tackle at this point. At first, Parker didn’t have much confidence from fans, and now that he’s likely out for the foreseeable future, that confidence is diminishing.
The Las Vegas Raiders are quickly running out of options
The problem that now exists for general manager Dave Ziegler is that the quality of available options has shrunk. The most obvious choice would be Daryl Williams, the former Buffalo Bill who has been heralded as a fit for the Raiders, and considering what’s left out there, it makes sense. Another possibility is Marcus Cannon. McDaniels already has Jermaine Eluemunor on his roster, but Cannon would be another former Patriot that would bring experience and familiarity. A three-time Super Bowl champion in his own right, Cannon played under McDaniels for nearly a decade, specifically as a right tackle.
Unless there’s a major trade in the works, the options for the Raiders aren’t great. You also have to factor in that Duane Brown was surely another option, but he signed with the New York Jets of all teams this week. Time’s running out with the second game of the preseason less than two days away.
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*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal