The continuing story out of the Las Vegas Raiders’ headquarters in Henderson surrounds one player. Fair or not, that player is second-year offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood. So, what will the fate be of the besieged Alabama product?
When Leatherwood was drafted in the first round last year, little did he know how his career was going to get started. From the outset, he was put into a difficult situation. That’s because Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock made it clear that Leatherwood was chosen to be the right tackle of the future. Unfortunately, that future hit a bump or several, and eventually, he had to be moved inside. Once that took place, Leatherwood showed some improvement, even if minor. Be that as it may, let’s be honest here about something. Leatherwood has looked nothing like the lineman Nick Saban trusted so much.
As most Raiders fans recall, his costly penalties in the playoffs were major mental mistakes. At the same time, he wasn’t the first guard to have that happen to them. As Leatherwood posted offseason workouts, displaying dedication and hard work ethic, most were rooting for him as training camp commenced. With the preseason almost done and a largely unimpressive camp, some are wondering if Leatherwood could be on the outside looking in very soon. In fact, Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus recently mentioned that Leatherwood could be either traded or cut before August 30th. That date is the deadline for cuts ahead of Week 1.
Is Alex Leatherwood on the way out or will he get buried in the Raiders’ depth chart?
If you’re not the biggest PFF fan, which is understandable if you’re a Raiders fan, then perhaps you’ll take the word of a more familiar source. The Athletic’s Vic Tafur at one point noted that Leatherwood was taking reps with the team’s third stringers. Tashan Reed, of the same publication, also noted that Leatherwood has been underwhelming in camp while the tackle’s performances have also supported that notion. On top of that, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal also noted that the Raiders are keeping all of their options open with regard to Leatherwood.
Will #Raiders OL Alex Leatherwood be on the roster come Week 1?
Let's hear your thoughts #RaiderNation
— RaiderRamble.comâ„¢ (@TheRaiderRamble) August 24, 2022
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*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal