Tag: Raiders O-line

Raiders OG Lester Cotton: O-line is told every day that starting spots aren’t guaranteed

Raiders OG Lester Cotton: O-line is told every day that starting spots aren’t guaranteed

When former Raiders guard Denzelle Good unexpectedly retired during training camp in late July, Las Vegas had to adapt — though the change was more mental than physical.

When Good was slow to recover from a torn ACL, G Lester Cotton Sr. took starting snaps at right guard, a position earmarked for Good. Cotton has remained a starter after Good’s departure, as the Raiders prepare to face the Jaguars in the Hall of Fame game on Thursday.

So not much has changed as far as day-to-day operations, and Cotton has earned his teammates’ respect for climbing the depth chart. Though according to Cotton, his coaches remind the entire O-line that no spot is guaranteed.

With the offensive line the largest concern on a talented roster, competition is more important up front than anywhere else on the team. Other than left tackle Kolton Miller, the Raiders need improvement across the board. So it’s no surprise guarantees are scarce in early August.

Here’s part of what Cotton told reporters on Monday at Raiders training camp. Cotton was asked if his faith and offseason training have paid dividends.

“Most definitely. You’ve got a room full of guys that are very talented, and very smart, and they compete each and every day,” Cotton said. “And no starter is guaranteed on the line. Coach Carm (O-line coach Carmen Bricillo) and coach Josh (McDaniels), they make that clear every day.

“And so we go out there every day and we just put our best foot forward, and we compete with each other. It’s a brotherhood. It’s no ill-will toward no one. We’re all together because you never know who will be on the side of you. So we just go forward.”

One reporter followed up by asking Cotton what it would mean if he was named a Week 1 starter.

“We haven’t got there yet,” Cotton said. “But if I continue to do what I’m doing on the field and continue to compete, it would be an honor.”

Cotton was undrafted out of Alabama in 2019 and has been cut by the Raiders four times, playing just a handful of NFL snaps in his career thus far. Lately, he’s drawn rave reviews from teammates, mostly for his work ethic. Cotton trimmed down to 335 pounds in preparation for this season and earned a reputation in the weight room.

If Cotton started the season at right guard, it would be a tremendous story. But as the Raiders coaching staff reminds the offensive line every day, nothing is guaranteed, whether it’s a reshuffle of starters or perhaps even new players.

I’ve said before that the Raiders would be wise to look at newly-available linemen after rosters are cut leaguewide in late August. Cotton is a fantastic story and seemingly much improved, but the Raiders roster is flush with playmakers on offense, and Las Vegas has to look to upgrade the line if possible.

Or maybe not — if Cotton and the offensive line play well against the Jaguars, the Raiders might not make a move at all. Watch for the starting line and key reserves to get extended playing time on Thursday, as coach Josh McDaniels looks to find some guaranteed starters in the trenches.

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Raiders GM Dave Ziegler wanted to address O-Line in free agency, but the market ‘went a different way’

Raiders GM Dave Ziegler wanted to address O-Line in free agency, but the market ‘went a different way’

The Raiders made their share of blockbuster moves when the new NFL year started recently, from signing EDGE Chandler Jones in free agency to acquiring star wide receiver Davante Adams via trade.

But those were just the headliners, as Las Vegas improved in multiple areas thanks to the efforts of Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels. There’s still one area on the roster that looks a bit shaky, however, especially considering the team’s performance last season.

It’s the offensive line. Right tackle, specifically. Rather than outsource for a solution during free agency, Ziegler re-signed Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker, despite his career-long struggles.

At the NFL owners’ meetings in Florida on Monday, Ziegler said that he did in fact have his eye on a free-agent offensive lineman, but the market didn’t break the Raiders’ way. That’s according to a report from The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.

Ziegler said there was a free-agent offensive lineman that the Raiders were interested in, but “it went a different way so we went a different way.”

The “it” in the above paragraph refers to the free-agent market. Ziegler explained that in free agency, you never know how the market is going to go and you have to be ready to change strategies.

So Ziegler realizes the Raiders need help on the front line, but his plan was foiled. Making matters worse, Las Vegas traded its first two picks in the upcoming NFL Draft for Adams and can’t realistically address the O-Line issue there.

Not surprisingly, Ziegler was asked about Parker, since it appears he’s a fallback option. Here’s what Ziegler said, according to the same report from The Athletic.

“He has very good size, very good length, which are two important attributes at the offensive tackle position,” Ziegler said. “He’s an athletic guy for his size, and he is not a finished product. Brandon can continue to get better. He can learn from playing a lot of snaps last year. All these things were exciting.

“Those are all good traits to have in a guy that’s going to be playing … you know, have an opportunity to compete for a job at tackle position for us.”

It’s only late March, but it looks like Parker will get the first shot at the Raiders’ starting right tackle position, though he’s not a “finished product” by any means. He had some decent games late last season, but overall, Parker had a bad year, his fourth campaign since he was drafted by the Raiders in 2018.

Ziegler and McDaniels are clearly betting that Parker can improve. He has the measurables and raw physical ability that’s coveted for offensive tackles. That’s why the Raiders’ last regime actually traded up in the NFL Draft to select him.

But despite starting 32 games during his Raiders tenure thus far, Parker hasn’t improved much. With a new coaching staff, however, comes new possibilities.

Still, the Raiders would do well to look for better options all the way up to Week 1 of the NFL season. Parker might be bad enough to upend the Raiders’ plans on offense, especially with Adams and quarterback Derek Carr, who is slated to receive a new contract in Las Vegas.

Carr and Adams are good enough to work around issues on any offensive line, but when the games get tougher and each contest is decided on the margins, the Raiders will need better than Parker has shown in his career thus far. That goes for the run game as well.

But as I mentioned, it’s March, and NFL rosters are fluid. And hey, Parker could actually improve. Thankfully for the Raiders, it appears Ziegler is ready to call any audible he deems necessary.

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Raiders, Gruden take lack of success in the run-game ‘personal’

The Raiders’ rushing attack performed poorly against the Jets, and coach Jon Gruden and his offense aren’t taking their bad day lightly.

The Raiders’ rushing attack had a disappointing game last week against the Jets, and though New York has the best run defense in the NFL, coach Jon Gruden and his offense are still smarting.

The group prides itself on running the ball, most notably with star rookie running back, Josh Jacobs, when the entire stadium knows what’s coming, let alone the defense. Gruden acknowledged the Raiders’ poor ground game in New York during his Wednesday press conference and said his team doesn’t take the lackluster performance lightly.

“I think we all take that personal. It’s a hard thing to do in this league, which is run the ball the way we run it. We’re not running options and scrambling for yards. We’re handing it to a back, and we’re doing it in some predictable situations. We just got to keep working. I love our line, and we’re going to need them to play great for sure on Sunday.”

This is an ideal week to get the ground game rolling again. Oakland’s opponent, the AFC West-leading Chiefs, have allowed the third-most rushing yards in the NFL. A punishing game from the offensive line and Jacobs is precisely what the Raiders need if they’re to draw Kansas City, who relies on their potent passing attack, into a tough, physical game the Raiders take pride in.

Regardless of the opponent, however, the Raiders feel like they can run the ball on anyone, according to offensive coordinator, Greg Olson.

“All the respect in the world to the teams that we played, but we kind of like to look at us and let’s just focus on us, look at what we’re doing and we think there’s some things that we can do better and we’ll continue to work on,” said Olson, addressing the team’s struggles in the run game of late during his Thursday press conference.

The coaching staff still knows if they’re to slow the Chiefs and escape a frigid Arrowhead Stadium with a win, the run game must play a starring role as it has for most of the season, leading the Raiders to a 6-5 record and an opportunity to tie Kansas City for first place in the AFC West.

Besides, Gruden and his staff built a physical identity for this football team, and this type of game is the reason why. When Oakland lines up in an obvious run formation against the Chiefs, at least early on, expect a run play. For the Raiders and their new persona, it’s personal.