The Raiders did a really good job this offseason of filling their most pressing holes with top-end talent. They traded for a No. 1 receiver in Davante Adams and they got an up-and-coming stud on the defensive line in Bilal Nichols to help out the run game.
But what spot on the roster still needs some work? In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he listed the biggest need for the Raiders heading into the summer.
That was none other than right tackle after the Raiders failed to address that position in free agency or early in the draft. Here is a snippet of what Reed had to say about the right tackle spot heading into the rest of the offseason:
“The Raiders still don’t have a clear answer for who will be their starting right tackle. None of their in-house options should make them feel great. Brandon Parker and Alex Leatherwood made starts there last year, but neither played well.
Denzelle Good can start at right tackle, but he’s best at guard. The Raiders receive $19.75 million in cap space on June 2, when the contracts for post-June 1 cuts Cory Littleton and Carl Nassib come off the books, and they could use that cap flexibility to target a veteran who’s still on the market.”
The Raiders are obviously hoping that Leatherwood can take back that job as that’s what he was drafted to do back in 2021. But if he can’t, don’t rule out the possibility of Denzelle Good moving to right tackle and then John Simpson and Dylan Parham battling for the left guard job.
That would likely allow the Raiders to get their best five offensive linemen on the field together. It would also allow Brandon Parker to serve as the swing tackle, a
Expect there to be a ton of competition on the offensive line specifically right tackle. It’s just one of the few positions on the team that isn’t settled.