Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins isn’t worried about the Las Vegas Raiders‘ shaky joint practice, saying he sees “good gel” developing within Las Vegas’ offense.
Cousins told reporters Tuesday that the Raiders’ offense has built strong chemistry heading into the season. He said there’s now a real command of the system in place. That said, Tuesday’s joint practice exposed some cracks up front. Cousins acknowledged the protection struggled against a tough pass rush. He explained that the offense asked a lot of its line, calling for extended pass-blocking reps on play after play against a difficult opponent.
He also praised tight end Brock Bowers, calling him a professional who takes care of his routes and his body, and said the ceiling is high if the offense keeps getting him the ball and he stays healthy.
Will the O-line hold up for the Raiders and Cousins?
The comments matter because everything about Las Vegas’ season hinges on whether this offensive line can hold up. The Raiders signed Cousins as a bridge starter over rookie Fernando Mendoza because head coach Klint Kubiak, his old play-caller in Minnesota, believes the 37-year-old can still win games right now. But that bet only pays off if Cousins has time to throw. A shaky pass-rush day against an outside opponent, even in a padded practice setting, is exactly the kind of red flag that fuels doubts about the tackle depth behind returning pieces and free-agent addition Tyler Linderbaum at center.
Related: The Raiders might already have their RB2 ready to go
If Cousins is getting hit early in camp, it raises real questions about how the staff manages his workload and how quickly Mendoza’s clock starts ticking on the depth chart. Bowers, meanwhile, remains the engine of the passing game. Cousins’ comments read as a public commitment to funneling targets his way, regardless of who else is drawing coverage.
Given the era of aggressive quick-game concepts Kubiak favors, expect the staff to lean more heavily on shorter, faster-developing throws in the coming weeks to take pressure off the tackles while they continue evaluating combinations up front.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images