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Oakland Raiders: Brewing a better Miller

By Joel W. Cade

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 10: Kolton Miller #77 of the Oakland Raiders blocks Chad Meredith #59 of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of their NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 10: Kolton Miller #77 of the Oakland Raiders blocks Chad Meredith #59 of the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of their NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 16: Center Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders waits to snap the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter on October 16, 2016 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Chiefs won 26-10. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 16: Center Rodney Hudson #61 of the Oakland Raiders waits to snap the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter on October 16, 2016 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Chiefs won 26-10. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Pass Pro or Pass Rookie?

Kolton Miller struggles in pass protection. Yes, he has faced good pass rushers so far in his short NFL career. He has clearly struggled with them as his overall Pro Football Focus grade is below average. In fact, Miller doesn’t even crack PFF’s top five rookie offensive lineman.

Miller struggles not because he is facing superior competition, but because his technique allows the competition to be superior. Miller has all the physical tools to excel at pass protection. He has quick feet. He is strong. He can create a strong base to stop a bull rush. The problem is that he has yet to develop the necessary skills to be effective. Given time, Miller should become one of the better tackles in the league. But it is going to take time.

The main concern for Miller are his slow drops. He was slow in his drops at UCLA. He is slow in his drops in the NFL.

A drop is essentially the tackle moving backward at the snap. The drop is designed to keep the lineman between the defender and the quarterback. It is also designed to keep the offensive lineman in position to handle any pass rush move the defender should bring.

Even though it looks like retreating and surrendering control of the situation to a defender, it is not. With the pocket protection scheme the Raiders use, Miller’s job is to drop straight back, keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and to beat the defender to the point of engagement. The tackle wants to have dropped and be set when the defender engages. This gives the offensive lineman control of the encounter.

Miller struggles to get in proper position. But how does he fix it?

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