The NFL is a business, and availability is precious.
That's why it was a significant risk that the Las Vegas Raiders took when they re-signed offensive tackle Brandon Parker in March, a player who missed the entire 2022 season after suffering a tricep injury in last year's training camp.
Before that, Parker had become a full-time starter on the offensive line starting in Week 5 of the 2021 season.
With expectations of the lineman continuing to be a prominent presence on the O-line in 2022, his injury took a big hit to the club, and after sitting out for the whole campaign, it seemed it could have jeopardized his future with the club.
But the Raiders are taking a chance.
"Obviously, in the business, players come and go, and that's a part of it -- as coaches as well," said Raiders O-line coach Carmen Bricillo when he spoke with our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. "But Brandon, like a lot of the other guys in the room -- we've got 16 of them working -- he fits, I think, the mold that we like. And it's true of Brandon. He's smart, and he's tough, and he loves football. Like, I mean, those are the characters that we want. And he encapsulates that. And everybody has it, and they wouldn't be in the room if they didn't.
"So, he's a part of that mold. He's been working hard. ... Obviously fitting into that puzzle piece, we'll figure it out as we continue to work on. But he's a dedicated guy who cares about his craft, and he's smart, and he approaches it the right way, and he's a good leader in the room, so we're happy to have him."
Parker enters his sixth year with the Raiders.
He made 32 starts in 54 game appearances in his first four seasons.
The Silver and Black drafted Parker in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, 65th overall, out of North Carolina A&T. He has been not only good on the field but an exceptional leader in the locker room.
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