Raiders forced to protect Carr with two rookie tackles
ALAMEDA >> The Raiders placed veteran offensive tackle Donald Penn on injured reserve Wednesday, coach Jon Gruden announced.
Gruden said rookie Brandon Parker will start at right tackle in his place. The Raiders hope to have Penn back this season.
Penn suffered a groin injury in Sunday’s 45-42 win over the Browns, and Parker played 57 of 92 offensive snaps (62 percent) compared to Penn’s 35 (38 percent). The Raiders traded up in April’s draft to select Parker with the first pick of the third round, and Sunday he played his first offensive snaps in the NFL after playing eight combined special teams snaps in Weeks 1 and 2 before being inactive Week 3.
“We’re confident. He’s back, he’s healthy, and he played pretty good when he got in there and played,” Gruden said Wednesday of Parker. “This will be a great opportunity for him.”
Penn, a three-time Pro Bowler at left tackle, played 14 games last season before undergoing Lisfranc surgery that sidelined him until midway through training camp. Penn switched to the right side upon his return, with rookie firstrounder Kolton Miller impressing working on Derek Carr’s blind side. The veteran left the Raiders’ Week 3 game in Miami after playing only 18 snaps to be evaluated for a concussion, but cleared protocol in time to start last Sunday against Cleveland. His transition
to right tackle experienced its bumps, but the loss of a veteran presence on the offensive line will have a ripple effect.
Penn signed a twoyear, $21 million extension shortly before the 2017 season opener. This preseason, Penn and the Raiders agreed to a pay cut over the final two years of his deal that actually guaranteed him more money next season.
Penn has voiced his intentions to retire after the 2019 season. Before the pay cut, Penn was originally due to make $6 million in base salary this season with over $1.5 million in a roster bonus, $600,000 in a workout bonus and $250,000 in a miscellaneous bonus.
Penn signed with the Raiders as a free agent in 2014 after the Buccaneers cut him, and after a big deal with current Rams guard Rodger Saffold fell through after he failed a physical. The Raiders were going to play Saffold at left tackle, but Penn saved the day by becoming one of the
league’s best at the position. He helped a rookie Carr get accustomed to the NFL, something the quarterback still thanks him for today.
“Just him as a vet, always encouraging me, just telling me things that I would do in games and things like that, he’d tell me, ‘You’re going to be special man. Keep doing it,’” Carr said. “Things like that as a rookie, it means a lot coming from, at the time, an eight- nine-year vet. It means a lot. You try and do the same things for the young guys as you get older. He definitely had an impact on me, for sure.”
The Raiders will start two rookie offensive tackles on Sunday against the Chargers for the first time since at least the 1970 AFLNFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Miller has been one of the Raiders’ bright spots amid their sluggish 1-3 start, more than holding his own against potent pass rushes of the Rams, Broncos, Dolphins and Browns. Parker’s performance Sunday gave the Raiders enough confidence to trot him out again. Gruden said firmly Parker is his guy at right tackle and there’s no competition for the starting spot right now.
“Obviously I love Donald, so I’ll miss him, for however long that is,” Carr said. “With Brandon, I think everyone knows how we feel about him around here. He’s really good. I’m sure he had a couple plays as a rookie that he would want back, but you live with that. He’s tough. He’s very intelligent. Crazy looks and things like that aren’t going to mess with him, which is good. He’s one of the smartest rookies I’ve ever been around.
“Obviously we know how Kolton is. Kolton’s awesome. He’s a stud. So you don’t feel like you have two rookies because they’re so talented, but at the end of the day they are and it’s something that we’ve got to do a good job of just helping those guys out.”
To occupy Penn’s roster spot the Raiders signed versatile offensive lineman Ian Silberman, who they kept on their initial 53-man roster on Sept. 1 but waived a day later. Silberman started at right tackle for the Raiders during preseason while Penn rehabbed from December foot surgery — the first two preseason games against the Lions and Rams — and most recently played on the Tennessee Titans practice squad.
Silberman spent time with the Raiders the last two preseasons and was promoted to their active roster at the end of last season. Silberman can play center, guard and tackle, which nobody else on Oakland’s offensive line can.