Raiders training camp: Offensive line starts key period

Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders begin a new era as Josh McDaniels’ team hits the training camo practice for the first time.

A major focal point of this camp will be the offensive line, which is led by Carmen Bricillo who was with McDaniels in New England. Last season was Bricillo‘s first season as the Patriots’ main offensive line coach.

On an offense bursting with talent and explosion, the offensive line is bit of a question mark and work in progress. There are three starting jobs to figure out in the next seven weeks.

However, if the pre-camp feeling is any indication, the team is confident that Bricillo can help find the right mix. Third-year Las Vegas guard John Simpson was high in his praise of his new coach, who replaces Tom Cable. He was let go with the previous staff.

Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“I think coach Carmen is doing a great job at his job,” Simpson said. We are all taking everything one day at a time. Everybody learns different. So, some guys learn on the field. Some guys learn in the classroom. And with them doing everything that they can, we try to do all those things. We go do walkthroughs; we do meetings in the classroom. Stay extra after what Coach Cam [Clemmons] and all kinds of things like that. So, I feel like that’s a big help to us because it is a new system and I feel like if we keep learning the way they’re teaching us, we’re going to be pretty good.”

Simpson is confident the Raiders’ offensive line, which struggled at times as a group last season, will quickly come together and be an asset for the team in 2022.

“I think it’s going pretty good. We are progressing very well, way better than I expected myself to progress,” Simpson said. “But like I said earlier, the teaching aspect is the biggest part and I think they’re doing a really good job at teaching us and then slowing things down for guys like me and other guys too. So, that’s the biggest thing is just making sure everyone’s on the same page.”