Analyzing the Raiders offensive tackles entering the 2022 offseason

Analyzing the Raiders offensive tackles entering the 2022 offseason

Returning Players

The tackle position for the Raiders is twofold. They return left tackle Kolton Miller, who has proved to be a top-level NFL left tackle and was rewarded last offseason with a contract extension to reflect that. Miller is easily the best offensive lineman on the team and Carr will continue to trust him with his blindside for years to come.

The Raiders are lucky to have Miller as he will likely be the team’s left tackle for the next decade and his unique athletic ability make his ceiling even higher.

The right tackle question is a simple answer if Josh McDaniels and his staff decide to move Alex Leatherwood back to his originally drafted position. Leatherwood struggled mightily last season on the edge and with penalties, in fact, he was one of the most penalized linemen in the NFL.

Many NFL players make leaps from their first to second seasons and if Leatherwood can make a leap like Miller, the Raiders will have bookends for a long time, like imagined by Gruden and Mayock. However, Leatherwood seems like a better fit for guard simply based on his strengths. He’s a mauler type who is significantly better at run blocking than pass blocking.

It’s very conceivable to think Leatherwood may just get beat out at tackle and return to guard again where he can be dominant. The Raiders also return Denzelle Good off of a torn ACL who has played tackle in the past, but he projects more as a guard full time.

He is the likely starter at one of the guard spots. The last tackles on the roster are Kamaal Seymour, an undrafted rookie from 2020 who has hung around for a few seasons, and futures signing William Sweet. Seymour is a practice squad player who is useful for his ability to play both inside and outside.

Sweet is a camp body that has some intriguing upside.