Oakland Raiders: A few guys who need to perform well in preseason finale

Donald Penn

Donald Penn‘s transition back to the team hasn’t been exactly – smooth. But hey, at least there wasn’t a protracted contract holdout this year. Silver linings, right?

After injuring his foot last year and missing the first two games of his career due to injury, Penn had Lisfranc surgery to repair the issue. The rehab kept him out of most all of the offseason work, but he was back on the field last week against Green Bay.

The problem was that he was not in the left tackle spot he’s made a 12-year career of. In his absence, Gruden slid rookie first-round draft pick Kolton Miller to the left side, and has been impressed enough with him, that he’s set to open the season there.

Penn, who’s played only a handful of snaps at right tackle in his career, slid over as Gruden attempts to shore up a spot that’s been the weakest link on what’s been an otherwise dominant line for a few years now.

Penn’s opening game on the right side of the line was about what you’d expect for somebody playing over there who hasn’t before – it was rough. Especially that first series.

Penn got better and stronger as the game went on – mostly in run blocking. But, pass protection is going to be an issue for a little bit, until he can manage to undo more than a decade’s worth of muscle memory and get his head around playing on the right, rather than the left.

As long as Gruden gives him some help – a back, or a tight end to stay in and chip – they’ll be okay. But, that also necessitates taking a potential weapon out of the passing pattern.

Penn’s not on the roster bubble, but he’s going to need to step it up and show he’s going to be an asset, more than a liability on the right side of that line.