Last season, arguably the Las Vegas Raiders‘ best offensive lineman, Kolton Miller, dealt with an ankle injury that ended his season. Miller returned to practice last December, but the Silver and Black chose to play it safe and didn’t have him play.
Now, with OTAs underway for the Raiders and mandatory minicamp on the horizon on June 9, Miller is ready to put last season behind him. On May 20, the veteran offensive lineman spoke to the media and shared the latest on his health situation.
“Feeling good,” Miller told reporters. “Feels good to be back out there with the guys. I’m really, really excited and enjoying the process.”
Moreover, Miller spoke about the mental hurdle of overcoming the injury that kept him out for most of last season.
“I think it’s just something you work through,” Miller added. “Mentally, when it first happened, it does wear on you, but I feel like when you adjust your habits and your daily routine, it really simplifies it. It’s been night and day. I feel really good and, again, I’m enjoying the process and being out there with the guys has been really good.”
Last season, Miller played until Week 4 when he was injured in the loss to the Chicago Bears. Nonetheless, it looked as though he was heading toward an impressive season. Miller played 250 total snaps before his injury, leading to an 86.5 PFF grade. He only allowed four total pressures in pass protection and one QB hit.
Klint Kubiak Also Gives Update on Kolton Miller
New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak also shared an update on Miller and what he’s seeing from the veteran.
“Very important [that Miller is participating in OTAs],” Kubiak told reporters on May 20. “Our training staff has done a phenomenal job of progressing him. He is running with the first team today, getting quality reps, and I think he is ahead of schedule. He is a competitive guy. We are really counting on him this year.”
Kolton Miller on Raiders Offensive Line
On a rebuilding team, it’s ideal to have Miller out on the practice field, leading by example and setting the standard, even in OTAs. Moreover, the veteran offensive lineman won’t be the only leader on the line as the Raiders made one of the biggest splashes in free agency in signing former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
Miller shared his thoughts on the offensive line, which will feature intriguing young talent in Trey Zuhn III, Caleb Rogers, Charles Grant, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and DJ Glaze.
“I have high expectations for everyone,” Miller said. “The standard is higher. Guys are learning and coming in, but the competition right now starts with getting into the playbook, mastering that, working on footwork and everything. Next is training camp. It’s great that we’re back together and taking another step. I’m looking forward to the process.”
It will be interesting to see if the Raiders’ offensive line can stay healthy and if the young players show improvement under Kubiak and his coaching staff, as it would allow their offense to look much better than it did last season under former head coach Pete Carroll.
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