Las Vegas Raiders' Kolton Miller ranked NFL's best in key category ahead of Week 3

The Las Vegas Raiders played host to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football in Week 2.

The game did not go the way the Raiders wanted it to go, as the team failed to get any kind of consistency on offense and ended up losing 20-9. With a win, the Raiders could have had sole possession of first place in the AFC West, but now they're tied for second with the Denver Broncos. 

A big reason why the offense never got going is the poor play of the offensive line. The Chargers had quarterback Geno Smith running for his life all night, and ended up with three sacks and six tackles for loss. 

Additionally, the line failed to open up running lanes. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was ineffective again, and ended with just 43 yards while averaging just under four yards per carry. 

However, not every offensive lineman performed poorly. Kolton Miller, one of the most veteran members of the team, actually performed well against the Chargers' tough defensive front. 

Miller received the highest grade of any Raiders' lineman according to Pro Football Focus, with the veteran earning an 81.4 mark. D.J. Glaze, the team's other starting tackle, had the second-highest grade at 71.0.

Now, Miller is officially the highest-graded pass-blocker in the NFL through two weeks according to Pro Football Focus. It's not surprising, as Miller has long-been one of the more underrated left tackles in the league. At this rate, it looks like Miller may finally earn his first Pro Bowl bid if he keeps up this level of play. 

Miller is in his eighth NFL season after the Raiders drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of UCLA. Since then, Miller has been remarkably consistent, having never played in fewer than 11 games in a season. 

Ahead of the 2025 season, Miller was rewarded with a three-year extension worth $66 million with $42.5 million guaranteed. Miller is earning that deal so far, and it could end up being a bargain for the veteran's services.

Still, the Raiders are going to need someone other than Miller to play well on the line. Glaze is currently PFF's 37th-ranked pass blocker, which doesn't seem great, but it's only his second NFL season and she should only get better. 

The interior of the line is a problem, though. Dylan Parham, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Alex Cappa all have well below-average run-blocking grades through two weeks. That's a big reason why the Raiders' ground game has shown little, if any, improvement over last season.