Oakland Raiders: 5 burning questions following the 2019 NFL Draft
By Nico Di Fede
2. Is Darren Waller ready to fill in as a starting tight end?
After not re-signing Jared Cook — the offense’s main weapon last year who had a breakout season — the Raiders were left with a big hole at the tight end position. Lee Smith was also unexpectedly cut and while he wasn’t much of a receiving threat, he was a great blocker.
That leaves the Raiders with Luke Willson, Derek Carrier, Paul Butler, Erik Swoope, 4th round pick Foster Moreau, and Darren Waller. That’s a lot of guys, but Waller is the only one with real pass catching potential other than the rookie Moreau, who Mayock said is, “…a bit better athletically than most people think…”
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Despite being unproven, the coaching staff has put a lot of faith into Waller and has given him a lot of praise. As you can see below, offensive coordinator Greg Olson clearly has high hopes for the former wide receiver.
Raiders have considered adding more help at tight end. But their primary focus this spring is to develop those they have, including projected starter Darren Waller. OC Greg Olson: He has “an elite set of skills.” https://t.co/PSNQMP3a9G
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) May 31, 2019
That’s high praise for a guy with 18 career receptions. But in the little he did play in 2018, we saw his athleticism and potential on display. Waller is listed at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds and ran a 4.46 forty. He’s an elite athlete and this year he will be able to prove whether he can at least be a productive starter, let alone an elite player.