HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders will face the Baltimore Ravens in Monday evening’s season opener at Allegiant Stadium with an untested and unproven offensive line after four-time Professional Bowl left guard Richie Incognito was dominated out Saturday with a proper calf harm.
Incognito, 38, suffered the harm in a joint follow with the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 19 and has not practiced since. He will likely be changed by John Simpson, a 2020 fourth-round decide who appeared in seven video games and began two, with each begins coming at left guard.
“He is younger prospect,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden stated of Simpson. “We’re anxious to see our line. We all know we have 4 new starters there in comparison with final 12 months presently, however we’ve got some gamers with actually massive upsides and this will likely be a fantastic check for them.”
After an offseason that noticed Las Vegas commerce away heart Rodney Hudson, proper guard Gabe Jackson and proper deal with Trent Brown — and with the harm to Incognito — the Raiders’ beginning offensive line will likely be: left deal with Kolton Miller (a 2018 first-round decide with 46 profession begins), left guard Simpson (two begins), heart Andre James (first NFL begin at heart), proper guard Denzelle Good (16 begins at proper guard) and proper deal with Alex Leatherwood (the Raiders’ 2021 first-round decide, who will likely be making his NFL debut).
Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson stated Simpson was the “strongest participant on our staff, testing-wise, when he got here again” for coaching camp.
“He is gotten numerous expertise and reps due to Richie’s harm,” Olson stated. “So, we really feel snug there. And once more, we talked in regards to the depth that we’ve got within the inside and he offered us with nice depth and now he offers us with a starter.”
Gruden, in the meantime, stated Incognito, who was voted a staff captain on the finish of coaching camp, was “getting higher” and thought he might be prepared for the Week 2 recreation on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“However in the interim,” Gruden stated, “we’ll let him get properly and hope for the very best.”
Incognito suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon harm in Week 2 final season. He has performed no less than 12 snaps in simply 13 of 32 video games since signing with the Raiders.