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Three early storylines from Day One of Raiders OTAs

By Brad Weiss

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 7: Guard Gabe Jackson No. 66 and tackle Donald Penn No. 72 of the Oakland Raiders prepare to block on a play against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter on December 7, 2014 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won 24-13. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 7: Guard Gabe Jackson No. 66 and tackle Donald Penn No. 72 of the Oakland Raiders prepare to block on a play against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter on December 7, 2014 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won 24-13. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 22: Donald Penn #72 of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the third quarter of the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 22, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Raiders 20-12. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 22: Donald Penn #72 of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the third quarter of the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 22, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Raiders 20-12. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Donald Penn is ahead of schedule and back at left tackle

If the Oakland Raiders are going to be solid up front on offense this season, they need a healthy Donald Penn at left tackle. While the drafting of Kolton Miller and Brandon Parker is nice, they are the long-term answer, and Penn is the guy they need protecting Derek Carr‘s blindside in year one.

On Tuesday, Penn was back on the field, and was at left tackle with the first team only in walkthrough as per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. David Sharpe got run with the first team as well, and Miller and Parker was with the reserves.

This offseason, the team signed Breno Giacomini to be their starting right tackle, and he is getting the first look as OTAs begin. In fact, he was getting a lot of reps with the first team on Tuesday, so it will be up to the first rounder, Miller, to beat him out this summer.

Penn’s injury at the end of last season was very serious, as he had to have Lisfranc surgery. While he is going to be brought along slowly, him being out there with the first team on Tuesday is a great sign.

He recently tweeted out that he is going to have one heck of a season in 2018:

It is only the first day, but the battle for right tackle is going to be a great one this summer. Penn should be 100 percent for the start of the season, and just seeing him out there with the first teamers has to make Carr and the rest of the team very happy.

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