The Oakland Raiders started two rookie offensive tackles in 2018, and he expects them to improve in a big way in year two.
With two of their first three picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected offensive tackles Kolton Miller from UCLA, and Brandon Parker from North Carolina A&T. Miller, who was picked in the first round, was expected to start in year one, as the hope was Donald Penn would be on the left side, and Miller on the right.
However, Penn was injured during the summer, and once Miller was slotted on the left side, he did not relinquish the position. With Penn back in 2019, and hopefully healthy, he will be much better suited for the right tackle spot, as Miller proved as a rookie that he should be the team’s left tackle for the foreseeable future.
In Parker, the Raiders were drafted for depth, although he was forced into the starting lineup when Penn went down due to injury early in the season. There were games where he was downright bad, and if he is going to be a part of this team’s plans moving forward, he has to get better this season.
Head coach Jon Gruden is expecting big things from Miller and Parker in 2019, as the Raiders look to get their roster solidified after a four-win 2018 season.
Vic Tafur from the Athletic tweeted this out on Saturday.
Jon Gruden told @JTTheBrick that RT Brandon Parker is living with Gabe Jackson in Mississippi. “Working hard, and if he’s with Gabe, you know he’s eating good.” Gruden looking for “dramatic improvement” out of tackles Parker and Kolton Miller. #Raiders
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) February 23, 2019
The fact that Parker is living with Gabe Jackson is big news, as Jackson is on the verge of being one of the better guards in the NFL. Parker showed flashes during his rookie season, but should not have been in the starting lineup, though he did gain valuable experience in year one.
The Raiders are likely to address the offensive line once again in the draft this April, as they showed a lack of depth up front in 2018. It remains to be seen whether or not they are set at the right tackle position, but Miller is going to be the left tackle moving forward, and when healthy, he has shown he could be a good one.