Getty Former Las Vegas Raiders OL Brandon Parker.
The Las Vegas Raiders are nearing cutdown day and are starting to make some moves. It was recently revealed that Brandon Parker was done for the season after suffering an injury.
However, Parker’s chances of playing this year may have just increased. The Raiders announced on August 24 that they are waiving the veteran offensive tackle, which means he’ll be able to hit free agency if he clears waivers. The specifics of Parker’s injury were never revealed so it’s possible that it’s only serious enough to keep him out for a few weeks.
It could also mean that his season is done and the Raiders just don’t want him on the roster. That seems unlikely considering the team under head coach Josh McDaniels has already re-signed him twice. Parker was a third-round pick of the Raiders back in 2018. That means he was the longest-tenured player on the team along with fellow 2018 draftee Kolton Miller. With Parker gone, Miller is now the longest-tenured player on the team.
This is another disappointing development for Parker who looked to finally be coming into his own last season. He was slated to be the starting right tackle before a torn tricep ended his season. If he can get healthy, Parker may be able to still have a productive career as he is still only 27 years old.
Kolton Miller Dubbed Underrated by Teammate
There’s a reason Kolton Miller is the longest-tenured Raider. The team has wasted a lot of first-round picks over the years but taking Miller in 2018 was one of the few good picks. Despite the fact that Pro Football Focus rated him as the eighth-best tackle in the NFL in a May 25 column, he has never been named to a Pro Bowl and isn’t much of a household name.
Offensive guard Greg Van Roten has only been with the Raiders for a short time but he’s already noticing that Miller is a top left tackle who doesn’t get enough credit.
“I think Kolton [Miller] is probably one of the more underrated tackles in the league, just getting to watch him every day, how he moves, how big he is, and how consistent he plays,” Van Roten said during his August 16 media availability. “He definitely should get a lot more recognition, I think nationally, than he does, but we definitely appreciate him in the room. We’re happy he’s on our side.”
Kolton Miller Excited to Have Same OL Return in 2023
The Raiders decided against making sweeping changes to the offensive line this offseason. The only new face with a realistic chance to start in Week 1 is Greg Van Roten. Perhaps more so than any other position group in football, the offensive line benefits from having a cohesive group.
Kolton Miller has played with a lot of different offensive line groups over his career so he’s excited to have essentially the same group from 2022 returning.
“By keeping the group together, I know from the experience of last year along with the growth guys have had, added strength, coming out here and seeing the focus, the attention to detail — it’s very promising, we want to continue to work and get better,” Miller said during his July 27 media availability.