Since Gruden took over as head coach of the Raiders, he has looked to familiarity with both his coaches and his players. He has said one of the benefits to having coaches with as much experience as his assistants have with so many different teams is gives the Raiders an advantage in signing new players that fit what he’s looking for.
Former Texans tackle Breno Giacomini is such a player. But after a season in which he gave up more pressures (81) than anyone in football by a wide margin, he wasn’t someone that came to mind as a possible upgrade from Marshall Newhouse, whose 38 pressures allowed last season seems stellar by comparison.