Redeeming Robert Gallery

Robert Gallery’s NFL career has been a roller coaster for the Oakland Raiders.

Prior to the 2004 draft, Gallery was coming out of Iowa and seen as a can’t miss offensive tackle prospect. The Raiders selected him with the second overall pick to solidify a line that had been unable to adequetly protect Kerry Collins the previous year.

In his first two years Gallery started all but one of his games at right tackle. In his third year he was moved to the left tackle position and was part of possibly the worst offensive line in the history of the NFL, and the bust tag became affixed to his name.

In each of his first three years, Gallery had different offensive coordinators as well as different blocking styles. When he was put at left tackle in 2006 he was put in the position where failure was inevitable.

In 2006 there were too many offensive line coaches giving the offensive line different lessons and styles of blocking. Gallery would go down to injury after ten games that season, but he was definitely the subject of the wrath of the Raider Nation.What few realized was that the play calling of Tom Walsh, along with the coaches Jackie Slater and Irv Eatman were combining to destroy any chances of success with the offense.

After the 2006 disaster, the team cleaned house and brought in Lane Kiffin as the new head coach. He brought with him esteemed offensive line coach Tom Cable. Cable moved Gallery from left tackle inside to left guard where he has found a home.

Since his move to guard, Robert Gallery has emerged as one of the top quality players at his position. He missed much of the 2009 season due to injuries, and his absence showed in the inferior performance of the line as a whole. If Gallery can stay healthy and the Raiders can pull in some wins, he will be a candidate for his first Pro Bowl.