The Raiders have invested a lot in their offensive line the past couple of seasons, and the results have been good.
In 2015, center Rodney Hudson was added in free agency and provided leadership and a powerful force in the middle. Gabe Jackson was drafted in 2014 and has become one of the NFL’s best young guards. And, this offseason, the Raiders re-signed left tackle Donald Penn and brought in perhaps the best free-agent guard on the market in Kelechi Osemele. Now, with the return to health of right tackle Menelik Watson, the Raiders go into 2016 with potentially one of the most solid offensive lines in the league.
After the Osemele signing, the analytics website Pro Football Focus rated the Raiders fivesome as “the best offensive line on paper” heading into the new season, based on grades from 2015.
It not only means potentially very good things for a running game that the Raiders hope to emphasize more this season, but a huge plus for quarterback Derek Carr and the Raiders’ passing attack.
As Pro Football Focus noted, when Carr was not under pressure in 2015, he had a strong NFL passer rating of 96.4. Overall in 2015, that rating was 91.1. Because of injuries late in the season, Carr’s protection on the line crumbled, and his passer rating (never above 79.0 over the final five games) and interceptions (seven in the last five) went south.
But, after two preseason games, there are indications that the investment in the line this offseason could pay huge dividends in the regular season.
Through two games, the line has yet to allow a sack of quarterbacks Carr, Matt McGloin or Connor Cook. And, even with a subpar rushing game against the Packers last week, the Raiders are averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Sports
Nathan Jahnke, who writes for Pro Football Focus, this week singled out the Raiders offensive line for its performance so far.
Tweeted Jahnke: “Offensive line with the best pass blocking efficiency this preseason? Oakland at 89.3. Line has yet to allow a sack or a hit; just 8 hurries.”
Longtime offensive line coach Mike Tice went into this training camp excited about the prospects of his group, and so far his linemen are living up to his expectations. Tice especially talked about the importance of Hudson, Osemele and Jackson as the core of the group.
“Those three guys, as a trio, could be as good as any I’ve ever worked with on the inside,” he told the media. “I’m really excited to coach those guys.”
