Kolton Miller: I’m expected to be better, and I will be better

[Rusher]

Despite Kolton Miller‘s struggles last season, Jon Gruden still believes in his left tackle. In fact, he believes in Miller so much that the Raiders coach made a big prediction.

“We think Kolton Miller’s going to be one of the best at left tackle in football,” Gruden said, via Scott Bair of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “He’s not only healthy, he’s in great shape. He’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s added some weight, some muscle. And he’s still a real flexible athlete that can run and change direction and being in the second year in the system we expect a lot of good things.”

Miller, the 15th overall pick in 2018, allowed an NFL-high 16 sacks and a league-worse 65 pressures, per Bair. Miller dealt with multiple knee sprains but refused to blame injuries for the rough start to his NFL career.

But Miller added that being healthy this season “will help tremendously.”

Miller, who now weighs 328 after weighing 310 at the 2018 Combine, will stay at left tackle with free agent signee Trent Brown moving to right tackle.

“It felt good staying left [tackle],” Miller said. “But, of course, I’m a team player. I’m going to go where they put me and what they think is best for the team. I know that I have a job to do and I know last year wasn’t good enough. There was a lot of problems with that and I’m expected to be better, and I will be better.”