Erik

Pears

Barnes promptly allowed two of Calvin Pace’s three sacks. Regardless of the starter, right tackle remains a major weakness for Oakland’s passing game.

Coach Tom Cable says Barnes would be the starter, ahead of Erik Pears, if the season began today. Barnes was used as LT Mario Henderson’s backup a year ago. Oakland now needs a right tackle after losing Cornell Green.

Pears, 27, returns as the Raiders’ No. 4 offensive tackle.

Samson Satele will make his first start of the season at center while Chris Morris will play left guard in place of Robert Gallery (leg). That’s three offensive linemen starting at a new position. Against the Giants, it’s going to be a very long day for JaMarcus Russell and the rest of the Raiders offense.

Pears, going on 27, spent most of last season on the NFI list, but started 26 games at both left and right tackle between 2006-2007. He’ll likely be a swing tackle in Oakland if the Raiders draft a viable blind-side answer.

With starting experience at both tackle positions, Pears should get a long look from the Seahawks. Seattle’s tackle situation is the worst in the NFL.

Pears will resume pushing Khalif Barnes at “swing” tackle. Neither would be a good option if LT Mario Henderson or RT Langston Walker went down, though the latter two aren’t strong performers in the first place.

Brown, who’d been on Oakland’s practice squad, will step in as the team’s No. 5 safety. Pears will be the No. 4 tackle behind Langston Walker, Mario Henderson, and Khalif Barnes.

This is the second week in a row that the Raiders have signed Brown and released Pears. Brown recorded a special teams tackle in Week 2.