Oakland Raiders Versus The AFC West: Tight Ends
By Kevin Saito
May 26, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tight end Clive Walford (88) catches a pass at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders made a concerted effort this offseason to improve their tight ends group. Gone are Nick Kasa and David Ausberry. In are Lee Smith and this year’s third round pick Clive Walford, who will be joining returning player Mychal Rivera.
On paper, most people wouldn’t think that looks like the most imposing group of tight ends out there. After all, they’re not Rob Gronkowski – which is how a lot of people seem to measure tight ends these days – but then, nobody is Gronk. But what that Raiders’ tight ends group is, is experienced and pretty good at what they do.
Needing a blocking tight end – an honest to goodness blocking tight end, and not just somebody who painted lip service to the idea of getting in there and blocking Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie pried Smith out of Buffalo.
Smith has been described as the type of player who puts on his hard hat, brings his lunch pail, and gets to work. He’s scrappy and feisty in the trenches and loves blocking. He is going to be counted on to protect second year QB Derek Carr as well as open lanes in traffic for the running backs. It’s not the most glamorous job in the world, but Smith does it happily. Though his skill is as a blocker, we may see him sneak out on a short route or two over the course of the season.
Mychal Rivera showed us last season that he can be a truly dynamic pass catching tight end in the league and that he is developing a terrific chemistry with Derek Carr. He is most definitely cut more from the Jimmy Graham pass catching cloth, than he is from the Lee Smith, hit anything that moves cloth. It’s a deficiency in his game for sure, but with an above average blocker in Smith on the line, it can be overlooked.
Clive Walford, this year’s third round steal, is the best of both worlds. He’s a very accomplished pass catcher, and a very solid blocker as well. He’s one of the hardest working players on the field, and is always striving to improve his game. In early work during offseason OTA’s, he’s impressed not just his teammates with his athleticism, but also the coaching staff. Walford is going to have a role in this offense, and he’s going to add another dimension to it.
The Raiders’ tight ends are not the most celebrated, but they are the best unit in the AFC West. Rivera and Walford are going to be deadly down in the red zone, and Smith is going to be a beast on the line. They are a good mix of youthful energy, veteran experience, and are going to form a lethal unit for Oakland’s passing game.