After not practicing all week, it appears as if the Raiders will be without tackles Trent Brown and Sam Young. Brown went out with a calf injury after three snaps in the season opener against the Panthers. Then Young came in to replace him and he too was lost after 14 snaps with a groin injury.
In came Denzelle Good, who is the team’s backup guard, to play right tackle. The move was by necessity because third-string tackle Brandon Parker was inactive for the game. But Good held up well in the game, not giving up a sack, and it looks like he has earned another shot with Brown and Young both listed as Doubtful against the Saints on Monday night.
“We have a lot of confidence in Denzelle,” said offensive coordinator Greg Olson.
“Denzelle has played some tackle in his past, so that helped him as well. And [offensive line coach] Tom Cable, he likes to train those guys to play every position across the board, so that has helped him.”
It’s a big decision to make for the Raiders. Not one they’d prefer to have to make considering it will be Cameron Jordan lining up across the line. The All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season in which he put up 15.5 sacks.
I asked Olson how the Raiders go about preparing to face Jordan with just uncertainty at the position, and he shifted back to propping up Good as a serviceable option.
“Denzelle has played a lot of football,” Olson continued. “He’s played football at a high level, not only here, but in Indianapolis as well. We have high expectations for him, and he has high expectations himself. You certainly hate to lose your starter, it’s not ideal. Hate to lose a backup to him, it’s certainly not ideal, but again they’ll rise to the challenge.”
Just prior to the season the team traded tackle David Sharpe to Washington, opting for former third-round pick Brandon Parker. Gruden said Saturday, of Parker that “He’s been working for the last couple years as a swing tackle, playing left and right. We think he’s improving and if he needs to play he’ll get a chance to prove it.”
By most accounts, Good played better stepping into the position after not playing it at all in camp than Parker had in any game the past two years. So, it appears Good has earned the start.
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