Tony

Pashos

Pashos, 33, was signed four days ago. From left to right, Oakland’s Week 1 front five will read LT Khalif Barnes, LG Lucas Nix, C Stefen Wisniewski, RG Mike Brisiel, and RT Pashos. This is the worst offensive line in the league.

Among the Redskins’ final cuts, Pashos missed all of 2012 with a left foot injury. He’s made 70 career starts, the majority of which have come at right tackle. Pashos was serviceable in 12 games for the Browns in 2011, but turned 33 earlier this month. In any other scenario, he wouldn’t be a candidate to start — let alone at left tackle — but nothing is off the table in Oakland.

The hits keep on coming for the Raiders’ offensive line. Oakland is already down fill-in C Andre Gurode. Second-year pro Matt McCants is now in the game at right tackle.

Watson, the No. 42 overall pick in this year’s draft, underwent a procedure to repair a torn lateral meniscus last week. The Raiders are now down to scraps at left tackle after losing Jared Veldheer (triceps) and giving up on Alex Barron. They’ll likely go forward with the same alignment they used in Week 1: Khalif Barnes at left tackle and Tony Pashos on the right side. ProFootballFocus ranked Barnes’ Week 1 performance 52nd among 65 qualifying tackles.

Oniel Cousins and Artis Hicks rotated at right tackle in the opener. Peyton Hillis managed just 3.4 yards per carry against the Bengals team that yielded 4.4 yards per rush last season.

Pashos was expected to be back this week, but apparently couldn’t get loose enough in warmups. Artis Hicks will start at right tackle and rotate with Oniel Cousins for the third straight week. It’s not a great development for Montario Hardesty.

If he’s ready to go by Sunday, Pashos should be an immediate upgrade at right tackle. The two players at the bottom of Pro Football Focus’ pass blocking efficiency for offensive tackles are Oniel Cousins and Artis Hicks, Pashos’ fill-ins over the first three weeks.

Per agent Rick Smith, Pashos is “really upset” about the move after playing the entire season with a ruptured peroneus longus tendon that ultimately required surgery on his left foot. “Tony feels like he had the team’s back last season,” said Smith. “He wishes the team had his back now.” Due $3.35 million in 2012, Pashos will instead collect $1M in injury protection. The 31-year-old has been given a 9-10 month timetable for rehab, leaving him no market for his services.

Pashos is due $3.35 million in 2012 after missing 14 games in his first two seasons with the Browns. Coach Pat Shurmur has plenty of respect for Pashos battling the injuries, but conceded “we’ll have to see how it goes” this offseason.

It may have been a scope, but Pashos can’t afford any red flags if he wants to keep his $3.35 million salary with the Browns. Most likely, he won’t. Pashos has been an injury-prone, ineffective right tackle throughout his Cleveland tenure.