Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals: 3 players to watch

Brandon Parker

Last season appeared to overwhelm Brandon Parker from time-to-time. He saw way more playing time than what was expected from a rookie, as he started 12 games at right tackle. Parker had certain instances where he flourished, but at the end of the day, he was part of the reason that Derek Carr was sacked a career-high 51 times.

Everything over the offseason sounded promising for the former third-round pick, as he spent the summer living with teammate Gabe Jackson. Parker followed the footsteps of Jackson’s offseason workout program to gain muscle, in the hopes that it would translate into better production on game days.

Parker started at left tackle in the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. Jon Gruden wants to make Parker the teams swing tackle, so giving him an abundance of reps during the preseason will give the coaching staff an in-depth glance at what he can do blocking the edge.

Although, Parker really couldn’t find his groove, as he scuffled throughout Saturday’s game. His run and pass blocking looked very shaky against the Rams defensive front, allowing pressure into the backfield often.

It’s still early in the preseason and he’s still much of a project, but the coaching staff may have to look elsewhere for their swing tackle in 2019 if Parker doesn’t step up his game in the coming weeks. Other potential swing tackles on the current 90-man roster consist of David Sharpe, Justin Murray, and Tyler Roemer who all have very little experience in the league just like Parker.

It’s clear that Parker has the most upside among the backup tackles on the roster, and he’ll get another opportunity to prove his value to the team on Thursday when he faces the defensive ends of the Arizona Cardinals.