Oakland Raiders Training Camp Notebook: Week 1

Position Battle – Right Tackle

Menelik Watson has had a rough go with injuries, but when he has been able to stay on the field, he’s been a very effective right tackle. The coaching staff loves his athleticism and work ethic, and he’s been getting the majority of first-team reps during training camp thus far. He’s shown versatility by switching to left tackle when asked – Donald Penn doesn’t really have an official backup as of yet – and he’s been playing quite well by all accounts.

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Per Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area, Watson showed quite well in the third practice, even getting the better of the unstoppable Mack in one-on-one drills. Watson has a rare combination of speed, power, and size for a tackle and that’s why the Raiders have pushed so hard to get him on the field.

Howard is a quality player who showed well at right tackle last season, but Watson is younger, bigger, and more athletic. Finally healthy, he’s showing the movement and power the Raiders envisioned when they selected him in the 2^nd round and seems to be the early favourite to start at right tackle.

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