The Las Vegas Raiders offensive line has had a rough 2020 season so far as they have had to shuffle several players in and out due to injury or illness.
The carousel at right tackle, in particular, has been concerning with starter Trent Brown only appearing in two games so far. Brown was injured on the first series back in Week 1, and midway through the season tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Sam Young, one of the Raiders’ offseason acquisitions, has filled in most of the time for Brown but he too has had to deal with some injuries himself. With the team’s options dwindling, Jon Gruden turned to former third-round pick Brandon Parker to man the right side.
According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Gruden has been impressed with how well Parker has looked so far:
“He’s the fourth different starter we’ve had at right tackle,” Gruden said Monday. “And I’ve done this a long time, I’ve never come close to that. He’s been a big, big reason why we’ve been competitive on offense. … So, give it up to Brandon Parker.
“If you’re a Raider fan out there, get one of those jerseys, No. 75.
Although it is unfortunate to see veterans in Brown and Young on the sidelines, it has created some optimism about Parker’s future with the team as he is proving to be a valuable swing tackle the Raiders can rely on. He has shown steady improvement game to game and appears more comfortable playing alongside the rest of the line.
Starting left tackle Kolton Miller was forced to miss a pair of games after suffering an ankle injury, forcing Parker to move over to left tackle, where he also performed admirably. Even with Miller eventually returning, Parker was able to shift back to right tackle and hold his own the past couple of weeks.
Despite the constant adjustments, the Silver and Black have been able to run the football and protect Derek Carr, two things that surely have made Gruden happy. Parker has managed to change fans’ perception of him and Las Vegas appears much better off than they originally did.
