Each offseason, there are those players who you say to yourself that their development or ability to step up could hold the key to the success of the team. Every team needs players who can take a step forward and outplay their previous performances or their previous role. It can’t all just be the same players playing the same level with upgrades coming from free agency and the draft.
Here are the players who broke out for the Raiders on each side of the ball:
Breakout player: Offense
LT Kolton Miller
Many people wanted to give Kolton Miller a pass for his performance as a rookie because he was playing through a knee injury. He gave up 16.0 sacks and has some serious issues in run blocking as well. I can understand the wait-and-see approach, but the fact of the matter was there was no proof to suggest Miller would play at an NFL starter level once he was healthy. All we’d seen from him was poor play, regardless of whether the injury was to blame or not.
In his second season, he proved it. He was a solid left tackle against the rush and even showed improvement as a run blocker. He would routinely get downfield to make big blocks on screen plays and seal the edge at the line to create lanes for Josh Jacobs to run through.
Miller needed to live up to the potential he showed in his raw physical gifts as a 6-8, 1-year starter out of UCLA and this season he appears to have done that.
Breakout player: Defense
S Erik Harris
Late last season, Harris stepped into the starting safety role as an injury replacement. He played well, but the Raiders still went out and drafted Johnathan Abram and before minicamps, Abram had supplanted Harris as the starter.
Harris kept doing his thing and preparing as if he was the starter and by week two, he was. Abram tore his Achilles in the season opener and was lost for the season. Harris would have three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. The Raiders won both games.
Harris is fast and he’s an intimidating hitter, probably from all his experience as a special teams maven. Now he is looking like he is in the Raiders’ plans as a starting safety, probably alongside Abrams, instead of sitting behind him.
Next up: Surprise player on offense, defense
See other Raiders 2019 awards:
Top newcomer on offense, defense
Most disappointing addition on offense, defense
Offensive, defensive Rookie of the Year
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