How Raiders signing OT Trent Brown impacts 2018 1st-round pick Kolton Miller
By Bryan Perez
The Oakland Raiders made a huge early splash in free agency with the signing of OT Trent Brown, which should result in a position change for last year’s first-round pick, Kolton Miller.
The Oakland Raiders aren’t messing around this offseason. Fresh off their trade for Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown, GM Mike Mayock and coach Jon Gruden are making a huge splash in the free-agent market.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders will sign former Patriots OT Trent Brown to a record-setting contract.
Former Patriots’ OT Trent Brown intends to sign a four-year, $66 million contract that includes $36.75 million guaranteed with the Oakland Raiders, per source, making him highest paid OL in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2019
Brown’s deal (four-years, $66 million) is the richest for an offensive lineman in NFL history and all but assures he’ll line up at left tackle when the season rolls around. And while it’s great that Derek Carr has an established quality blindside protector, it naturally raises questions about what will happen with last year’s first-round pick, Kolton Miller.
New Raiders LT Trent Brown will take over Raiders’ left tackle job, and former first-round pick Kolton Miller is expected to slide over to righ tackle. Raiders making moves.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2019
Oakland selected Miller with the 15th overall pick last April, a move that was deemed a reach at the time. Miller struggled quite a bit as a rookie, earning a 48.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, a mark that ranked fifth-worst on the Raiders’ offense. He wasn’t within the top-100 offensive tackle grades for PFF last season; considering there are only 64 starting tackle jobs in the NFL, that’s pretty bad.
Still, Miller isn’t without hope. He was a respected prospect coming out of UCLA and it isn’t his fault he was over-drafted.
Miller’s transition to the right side of the offensive line should be smooth. He started at right tackle during his time at UCLA before moving to the left side in 2017, so he has experience with the alignment and changes he’ll have to make with his technique. In fact, he’ll probably play a lot better in 2019 without the pressure of being the team’s highest-profile offensive lineman.
The Raiders deserve credit for being aggressive in free agency and for not allowing last year’s draft investment to deter them from adding a player they believe improves the roster. Whether the transaction ends up paying off, in the long run, remains to be seen, but the philosophy behind the move should be applauded.