The Las Vegas Raiders drafted the two best tight ends in the NFL Draft two consecutive offseasons. While the moves were made by two different general managers, they both were the right moves at the moment. Still, the Raiders have two talented tight ends that can give defenses fits.
Second-year tight end Brock Bowers burst onto the scene with the best rookie season any tight end has ever had in the National Football League. He did so one season after the previous Raiders' coaching staff struggled to find a way to get fellow tight end Michael Mayer involved in their offense.
Mayer, the top tight end in the NFL Draft two offseasons ago, was a victim of his surroundings his rookie season, although Bowers' surroundings were not much better during his.
Still, the Raiders have revamped their offensive roster and coaching staff this offseason, which should bode well for Mayer, as Chip Kelly should have no issues finding a way to get him involved.
Following Organized Team Activities, Kelly credited Mayer with a strong showing so far this offseason.
"I think Mike has been outstanding since I've been here. And for all of us, we came in kind of tabula rasa, we're a blank slate. I mean we watch film of all the players just to kind of get an understanding of what they did, but didn't make any decisions on anything until you see him here. And Mike's been fantastic since day one of the offseason program when we started early in April there, and in what he did just in the weight room, what he's done in the meeting room, and then what we did in phase two, and then what he's continued to do here," Kelly said.
"So, really, really excited about him. And there's never a position anywhere where a coach will say, 'You know what, we have too many good players.' Like that's never the case, especially in this league, because everybody's really talented that you're going to go against. So the more tight ends we can get, the more wide outs we can get, the more running backs we can get, the more quarterbacks you can get, then we'll continue to take them."
