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Raiders 2022 two-deep analysis and predictions: Offensive line

By Alexander Monfreda

HENDERSON, NEVADA - JUNE 07: Offensive linemen Hroniss Grasu #65 and Alex Bars #64, and guards Lester Cotton Sr. #67 and John Simpson #76 of the Las Vegas Raiders warm up during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 07, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
HENDERSON, NEVADA - JUNE 07: Offensive linemen Hroniss Grasu #65 and Alex Bars #64, and guards Lester Cotton Sr. #67 and John Simpson #76 of the Las Vegas Raiders warm up during mandatory minicamp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 07, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 13: Alex Leatherwood #70 of the Las Vegas Raiders exits the fields after warming up ahead of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) /

Raiders 2022 two-deep analysis and predictions: Offensive line

RT1: Alex Leatherwood

Year-one wasn’t too kind to the versatile Alabama alum. Totaling the third-highest penalties committed with 14, accompanied by 8 sacks given up, a PFF grade of 45.0 met Leatherwood at the season’s end.

Leatherwood struggled during most of his rookie year, where he started at right tackle before converting to right guard. As the year went on, the Raiders’ ’21 first-round pick showed steady improvement, playing a key part in the final contest of the regular season. Facing the Las Angeles Chargers with the postseason on the line, Leatherwood allowed only 2 pressures all game, with zero sacks.

While the best moments in Leatherwood’s rookie season took place at right guard, there’s no real reason to believe the second-year Raider can’t apply what experience he gained at the pro level back to the tackle position. Leatherwood was drafted by Las Vegas to be the right tackle of the future, and while the staff who brought him in with that vision is now gone, it still makes the most sense.

There will be a part of Raider Nation who isn’t too thrilled with this Leatherwood and right tackle partnership, but there is a silver lining: If for whatever reason the experiment goes south again, the Raiders can painlessly move to the Miller, Leatherwood, James, Parham, Parker (left to right) line mentioned earlier. There’s an incredible amount of versatility on this offensive line, and Leatherwood is no exception.

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