Oakland Raiders: Stacking up tight ends against the AFC West
By Kevin Saito
![OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Lee Smith #86 of the Oakland Raiders reacts after a first down against the Denver Broncos during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 26, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Lee Smith #86 of the Oakland Raiders reacts after a first down against the Denver Broncos during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 26, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6535fcbd30e88c927ff0b5392bcec525e7ea76ca2e6c92d2be643d12468df35b.jpg)
The Oakland Raiders have made substantial changes to the roster, and in this series of articles, we’re stacking them up against the AFC West – next up, the tight ends.
Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is making his triumphant return to the Bay Area, partying it up with fans, and shaking up the organization from top to bottom. Which, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In fact, the seismic shift in Oakland is very much needed for a team that’s had exactly one winning season in the last decade and a half.
Most thought 2016 was the stepping stone to bigger and better things – like a Lombardi Trophy. After all, a 12-4 record, a juggernaut of an offense, and the team’s first playoff berth since the printing press was invented, fueled some pretty high hopes.
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That all came crashing down in 2017 though, as injuries took a toll on quarterback Derek Carr, and the stunning mediocrity of both Ken Norton Jr. and Todd Downing as coordinators, crippled this team from the jump.
The team was still trying to put out the fires of another smoldering, dumpster fire of a failed campaign when Mark Davis made a change, bringing back all the scowls, f-words, and undeniable energy and charisma of the man known as Chucky, and tasked him with fixing things.
Gruden has pretty much been given carte blanche to do whatever he deems necessary to right the ship and get the Raiders back on a winning track. Something they haven’t been since the last time Gruden was in town.
To that end, Gruden has upended this roster, jettisoning those he deems expendable, and replacing them with a score of new faces. His additions to the roster have drawn some sharp criticism, but it’s also quietly fueled some hope that a solid – and lasting – foundation for success is finally being laid.
In this series of articles, we’re looking at how the changes Gruden is making to the roster stack up against his AFC West foes position group by position group.
We’ve already taken a look at the running backs and wide receivers. So, next up, are the AFC West tight end groups.