Some details are still unknown about what the Raiders offensive line will look like when they face the Buccaneers this week. There are a lot of possible moving parts, that could lead to some different lineups.
Right now, the entire starting offensive line is quarantining after Trent Brown tested positive for COVID-19 and they were all sent into quarantine. So, first let’s look at who has been the first-team offensive line in their absence, and thus what the starting line would look like should they not be cleared to play.
Here is the worst-case scenario starting line from left to right, along with their career starts in parenthesis.
LT Sam Young (22)
LG John Simpson (1)
C Andre James (1)
RG Patrick Omameh (57)
RT Brandon Parker (15)
The league requires teams to have at least eight offensive linemen for each game, and that’s exactly the number of offensive linemen the Raiders have had on the practice field this week. The other three are practice squad players T Kamaal Seymour, OL Jaryd Jones-Smith, and OL Erik Magnuson.
Two players can be called up from the practice squad without a roster move, so should this come to pass, they would have to sign one of these three players in order to have eight offensive linemen on game day.
The above worst-case scenario also involves the Raiders playing on Sunday. The four starters who were sent home will be eligible to return, should all go well, for Sunday.
On that note, let’s look at the best-case scenario for the Raiders offensive line.
First and foremost, the best-case scenario has them moving the game to Monday or Tuesday, allowing a cushion for the line to return.
LT Kolton Miller (37)
LG Richie Incognito (164)
C Rodney Hudson (116)
RG Gabe Jackson (88)
RT Sam Young (22)
Incognito is on injured reserve. It would be an extreme best-case scenario has him being activated for the game.
Denzelle Good has been starting in place of Incognito since he’s been out. Obviously, he would be a backup guard along with the worst-case scenario starters and there would be no need to activate the practice squad guys.
There is no indication as of yet that the NFL plans to move the game to Monday or Tuesday. That wouldn’t be ideal for the Raiders given the situation. But there is also no reason, at this point, to think the four starters in quarantine will not return by Sunday, even though they would be doing so without attending a practice all week.
Most likely, this is what the line will look like, whether the game is played on Sunday or another day:
LT Kolton Miller (37)
LG Denzelle Good (32)
C Rodney Hudson (116)
RG Gabe Jackson (88)
RT Sam Young (22)
Backups would be T Brandon Parker, G John Simpson, G Patrick Omameh, and C Andre James.
An offensive line with backups at left guard and right tackle and four of them missing practice all week will be facing one of the best run-stopping and pass-rushing teams in the league (historically good, as a matter of fact). Not great.
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