2021 Raider Depth Chart

[NYRaider]

13 hours ago, oakdb36 said:

Yes, kinda big deal to be without the 2 vet starting Gs before the end of week 1.

From LG to RT, there's no experience. (At the start of the season, Simpson - 252 snaps, James - 116 snaps, Eluemunor - 740 snaps, Leatherwood - 0 snap). A season is over 1000 snaps, none of them has 1 season of playing experience. It's hard enough for an inexperienced player, let alone when everybody around him is going through the struggles.

We've had guys like Simpson and James fill in for brief stints in the past. But it's different when they're surrounded by guys like Hudson/Miller or Hudson/Brown. My biggest gripe isn't even that we're young it's more so that the young guys we're playing have never really played a ton and outside of Miller/Leatherwood we're starting a 4th, 5th, and UDFA on the interior.

[big_palooka]

15 hours ago, oakdb36 said:

Yes, kinda big deal to be without the 2 vet starting Gs before the end of week 1.

From LG to RT, there's no experience. (At the start of the season, Simpson - 252 snaps, James - 116 snaps, Eluemunor - 740 snaps, Leatherwood - 0 snap). A season is over 1000 snaps, none of them has 1 season of playing experience. It's hard enough for an inexperienced player, let alone when everybody around him is going through the struggles.

Which speaks volumes about the construction of that unit and it's lack of depth.

Richie hasn't played in over a year, injured a calf against the Rams in joint practice. No urgency in filling his spot at LG, given to Simpson who's shown no ability. C, they gave the starting job to James in April which he didn't deserve. RT, they drafted a player switching positions and forced him into the starting spot. 

The whole unit was mismanaged. We knew in April the Oline was going to be an issue. They didn't have quality starters or adequate depth, and injuries took hold early on. 

[Turnobili]

7 hours ago, NYRaider said:

Ideally Cable will get his head out of his arse and start Martin over James. If we're looking for another guard or OT, something interesting possibilities: 

• Trade Kenyan Drake for Andre Dillard

• Sign Ricky Wagner (RT)

• Sign Mitchell Schwartz (RT)

• Sign DJ Fluker (OG/OT)

• Sign JR Sweezy (OG)

• Sign David Decastro (OG)

• Sign James Carpenter (OG)

Carpenter, Sweezy, and Fluker have all played for Cable in the past and Carpenter/Fluker have both started at both OG/OT. 

Carpenter was pretty bad, though, no? Decastro was a beast but its telling that a collapsing Steelers OL didn't bring him back. I would kick to tires on KO though.

[Blazer026]

Saw a report that Leatherwood got reps at both Guard spots and right tackle today. 

[agarcia34]

Always hard to trust any type of fan sources. I hope it’s true because they need to make things easier for him. Limiting his space and allowing him to play against players who are not as fast is the best thing that can happen for him at this time. Doesn’t need to be a permanent move but at least one that is for the rest of the season and maybe he plays good there and he turns out as your OG. 

[NYRaider]

13 hours ago, agarcia34 said:

Always hard to trust any type of fan sources. I hope it’s true because they need to make things easier for him. Limiting his space and allowing him to play against players who are not as fast is the best thing that can happen for him at this time. Doesn’t need to be a permanent move but at least one that is for the rest of the season and maybe he plays good there and he turns out as your OG. 

Who plays RT? And if it is true, man, are we really giving up on him at OT after 4 games? An OG at #17...

[NYRaider]

16 hours ago, Turnobili said:

Carpenter was pretty bad, though, no? Decastro was a beast but its telling that a collapsing Steelers OL didn't bring him back. I would kick to tires on KO though.

Carpenter was up and down, his situation was eerily similar to Leatherwood. Alabama OT that Cable took in the first round, struggled at OT so he was moved inside to OG. I'd take a flier on Decastro just because of his experience, our OL is so young. 

If I could add anyone I'd pursue DJ Fluker. He's currently suspended for the first 6 games but has experience playing for Cable and has started a ton of games at both OG and OT.

[Ryno]

2 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

Who plays RT? And if it is true, man, are we really giving up on him at OT after 4 games? An OG at #17...

Most likely Brandon Parker... otherwise a FA / Jackson Barton /  wasn't Jermaine Eluemunor pegged to start at RT for NE before an injury 🤔

It's either learn from the bench or start at G because he isn't ready to be a starter at RT and this line is the biggest threat to the season.

I don't personally have a problem with going guard in the first round of the draft so if he works out there then it's a good pick for me... that and there is nothing stopping him moving back outside next year etc.

 

[NYRaider]

5 minutes ago, Ryno said:

Most likely Brandon Parker... otherwise a FA / Jackson Barton /  wasn't Jermaine Eluemunor pegged to start at RT for NE before an injury 🤔

It's either learn from the bench or start at G because he isn't ready to be a starter at RT and this line is the biggest threat to the season.

I don't personally have a problem with going guard in the first round of the draft so if he works out there then it's a good pick for me... that and there is nothing stopping him moving back outside next year etc.

We essentially gave up one of the best RT's in the NFL for nothing with Trent Brown. We didn't take Leatherwood #17 to be an OG, it's terrible value unless he just tears it up moving inside. Eleumunor is a journeyman OG/OT, not sure he'd do much better than Leatherwood. 

And is it really start at OG or get benched? We really don't have a ton of options at OT on our roster. 

[Bitty 2.0]

On 10/6/2021 at 6:59 AM, NYRaider said:

We've had guys like Simpson and James fill in for brief stints in the past. But it's different when they're surrounded by guys like Hudson/Miller or Hudson/Brown. My biggest gripe isn't even that we're young it's more so that the young guys we're playing have never really played a ton and outside of Miller/Leatherwood we're starting a 4th, 5th, and UDFA on the interior.

You do realize that the 4th and 5th rounders are backups and they were never intended to play this year

[Ryno]

5 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

We essentially gave up one of the best RT's in the NFL for nothing with Trent Brown. We didn't take Leatherwood #17 to be an OG, it's terrible value unless he just tears it up moving inside. Eleumunor is a journeyman OG/OT, not sure he'd do much better than Leatherwood. 

And is it really start at OG or get benched? We really don't have a ton of options at OT on our roster. 

Relying on Trent Brown as the starter is a little iffy... granted we kind of did the same thing with Incognito but I convinced myself Simpson would be good to take over.

They also didn't take Ferrell and Arnette to be backups... the FO has by popular opinion made questionable bad value picks since they took over so if you told me we could have a decent starting guard with potential at 17 I'm happy with that! *Granted this is all based on whether he actually makes the switch, how he performs there, and if he's there for the long haul...

For Eleumunor it's a good job he was listed at the end of the potential options then! Although I'm not really concerned with him being labeled a journeyman, just remember reading that he did pretty well at RT and G at NE before the injury... kind of gave off Denzelle Good vibes and imo he's been the Raiders second best lineman behind Miller.

[NYRaider]

2 minutes ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

You do realize that the 4th and 5th rounders are backups and they were never intended to play this year

What about our first rounders? Aren't Ferrell/Arnette already backups and Leatherwood looks like he's going to be a backup soon as well. I understand that not every pick is going to workout but we've whiffed on so many picks.

[Bitty 2.0]

Just now, NYRaider said:

What about our first rounders? Aren't Ferrell/Arnette already backups and Leatherwood looks like he's going to be a backup soon as well. I understand that not every pick is going to workout but we've whiffed on so many picks.

Yes the Raiders have but having your second string guard and 3rd string guard play is not normal.

Leatherwood shouldn't be playing right now and I'm not sure what it's main issue is but he always seems to be at the right spot just not finishing the job. Hopefully he'll grow into the job soon.

[NYRaider]

3 minutes ago, Ryno said:

Relying on Trent Brown as the starter is a little iffy... granted we kind of did the same thing with Incognito but I convinced myself Simpson would be good to take over.

They also didn't take Ferrell and Arnette to be backups... the FO has by popular opinion made questionable bad value picks since they took over so if you told me we could have a decent starting guard with potential at 17 I'm happy with that! *Granted this is all based on whether he actually makes the switch, how he performs there, and if he's there for the long haul...

For Eleumunor it's a good job he was listed at the end of the potential options then! Although I'm not really concerned with him being labeled a journeyman, just remember reading that he did pretty well at RT and G at NE before the injury... kind of gave off Denzelle Good vibes and imo he's been the Raiders second best lineman behind Miller.

Relying on Alex Leatherwood as the starter is iffy. 

I'm not happy with that at all. Gabe Jackson was a very good starting guard for us and we took him in the 3rd round. Good has been a solid starting guard and he was an UDFA that we signed in free agency for the low. And as you said Eleumunor has been our 2nd best OL this season, didn't we sign him off someone's practice squad? So how can Leatherwood at OG be a good value pick at #17 when we've found good starting guards in the middle of the draft/free agency for years? 

We could've used the 17th pick on someone like Jaelen Phillips, Jamin Davis, Gregory Rousseau, etc. who would've helped us win games immediately. And to add insult to injury just look at the Chiefs. They drafted Creed Humphrey in the late 2nd round and he has been the 4th best center in the league this season. Then followed that up by taking Trey Smith in the 6th and he has been one of the better guards in the league. 

My man crush Spencer Brown (who the Bills took in the 3rd) just beat out Cody Ford to be their starting RT and has played well. 

[NYRaider]

4 minutes ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

Yes the Raiders have but having your second string guard and 3rd string guard play is not normal.

Leatherwood shouldn't be playing right now and I'm not sure what it's main issue is but he always seems to be at the right spot just not finishing the job. Hopefully he'll grow into the job soon.

Is it really a surprise that our interior OL has struggled though? James hadn't ever played and struggled in the little playing time he did get before this season. Richie Incognito is old now and has been injured for almost 2.5 years at this point. Losing Good hurt but from the beginning most here thought it was questionable to expect Incognito/James to play well for us. 

Leatherwood is a LT trying to transition to RT, we've seen other guys struggle with it in the past.