Las Vegas Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller has been a mainstay of the roster since he was taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He had started in all but three games through his first five seasons as a pro but finally missed time due to an injury last season.
He played in 13 out of 17 games in 2023, starting in only 11. At the end of the campaign, the consensus was that he needed surgery to repair a tear in his shoulder. And when the Raiders began training camp at the end of last month, Miller was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
But all signs are pointing towards him being taken off that list and re-joining the Raiders for practice with the 2024 season nearing, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk:
Tuesday’s transaction notice from the league shows that Miller has passed his physical, which sets him up to come off of the physically unable to perform list. Miller has been working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and will have the next few weeks to get ready for the start of the season.
Getting Miller back would be a huge victory for a Raiders team that will be in need of consistency this season, especially at the offensive line. Miller is one of the elder statesmen in the Raiders’ five-man unit alongside Cody Whitehair, Andre James, Dylan Parham and Thayer Munford Jr.
It is especially helpful for new starting quarterback Gardner Minshew, who is not seen as among the most athletic or mobile QBs in the league and will need some good protection from the left side. It figures to be a rebuilding campaign for the Raiders, but Miller still is an essential part of any possible success.
Raiders rookie OG Jackson Powers-Johnson activated from PUP
Second-round draft pick Jackson Powers-Johnson has yet to appear for the Raiders during training camp as he started off camp on the PUP list due to a concussion. But it now looks as if he is fully recovered and ready to show the Raiders and everyone else what he is all about.
According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce announced that the team has activated Powers-Johnson from the PUP list, and he will participate in his first practice of training camp.
