Following the bye week, the Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up for a late-season charge. The offensive line has played well this season but star left tackle Kolton Miller has been dealing with a shoulder injury that has already caused him to miss two games.
With Miller still not 100%, the Raiders are looking into bringing back a familiar face. According to a December 8 X post from Bleacher’s Report’s Jordan Schultz, Las Vegas is working out offensive lineman D.J. Fluker.
Fluker first came into the NFL as a first-round pick of the Chargers in 2013. He’s bounced around the NFL throughout his career and has played for seven different teams, including a stint on the Raiders’ practice squad during the 2021 season. Though the coaching staff is very different than it was when Fluker was in Las Vegas, many of the players should be familiar with him.
The Raiders could use some depth at offensive tackle with Miller being banged up. However, Fluker hasn’t played in an NFL game since the 2020 season and wasn’t on a roster at all last season. Regardless, it would be a low-risk move for the Raiders to sign him to the practice squad if he looks ready to play in his workout.
Las Vegas Raiders Have 13th Ranked OL, per PFF
The Raiders offensive line had a rough start to the season but has improved as the year has gone on. While the run blocking still leaves a bit to be desired, the pass blocking is among the best in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranked the Raiders as the 13th-best offensive line in the NFL so far this season.
“The Raiders’ offensive line has allowed 99 total pressures this season — including 19 sacks — on 426 pass-blocking snaps. As a result, the unit ranks sixth in pass-blocking efficiency rating,” Zoltán Buday wrote in the December 6 column.
The Raiders were criticized for not making any notable changes to the offensive line in the offseason but that move appears to have paid off. There’s still room for improvement but it’s far from being the worst offensive line in the NFL.
Antonio Pierce Discusses Kolton Miller’s Status
Jermaine Eluemunor has played well in relief of Kolton Miller at left tackle but the Raiders would prefer to keep him at right tackle. Miller has not been practicing this week so there’s a chance he won’t be able to play against the Minnesota Vikings.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce gave some insight on the left tackle.
“To go with Kolton Miller, you’re talking about one of the best left tackles there, and when he’s in there we’re a better team and we’ll see how that goes day-by-day,” Pierce said during his December 6 press conference.
The Vikings are known to send a lot of pressure under defensive coordinator Brian Flores and defensive end Danielle Hunter is third in the NFL with 13.5 sacks. Not having Miller could cause problems for rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell. The team will have to hope that the left tackle can make a quick recovery before Sunday.
If Miller can’t go, Eluemunor is likely to slide back over to left tackle while Thayer Munford takes over at right tackle.
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