Oakland Raiders Uh-Oh: Khalif Barnes Out With Injury Early

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Is the Oakland Raiders' left tackle battle over before it really even started?

Yes.

Newcomer offensive tackle Khalif Barnes went down Tuesday Morning while unengaged in pass protection after left guard James Marten knocked defensive tackle Ryan Boschetti into Barnes' left knee.

The injured knee suffered a contusion, but said Barnes said, "I told the trainers, 'I think my ankle is broken.'"

Instead of opting for surgery, he will wear a hard cast for six-eight weeks. 

What does this mean? 

Well, first of all, it obviously means that Barnes is receiving an early exit out of camp. This also means that incumbent Mario Henderson is basically  a lock to start at left tackle come September 14. 

Barnes, as was hoped, would be able to move over to the right side had he lost the job to Mario Henderson.

Coach Tom Cable expects Barnes to come back early in the regular season to provide depth. Just depth though.

Does this mean we're in for another year of Cornell Green starting?

We all remember the fantastic off-side abilities of Green and Kwame Harris last year.

Ah, well, injuries are daily life in the NFL.

My question though, is how big of an impact do you think this will have?

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?