What to watch in Raiders’ 3rd week of OTAs: Is TE ready to break out?
The Raiders wrap up their organized team activities this week, with Wednesday’s workout open to the media.
Here are three things to keep an eye on as the club looks to improve under coach Pete Carroll:
1. Mayer’s progress
The Raiders traded up to take tight end Michael Mayer in the second round of the 2023 draft. They had big expectations for the former Notre Dame standout.
But for a variety of reasons — poor quarterback play, the addition of tight end Brock Bowers, a six-game absence for personal reasons — things haven’t worked out as expected.
Mayer, 23, has 48 catches for 460 yards and two touchdowns his first two seasons. This year, however, he could take another step.
Mayer has shown up in tremendous shape and has been a standout at OTAs so far. It helps that he has a new quarterback in Geno Smith and offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly.
“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 (of the offseason program), and then what he’s continued to do here,” Kelly said. “So really, really excited about him.”
Mayer’s overall numbers will likely always be affected by Bowers, who had a record-breaking rookie season after being selected 13th overall in last year’s draft. But there’s no reason the Raiders can’t have two productive tight ends.
“I checked, you can play with two tight ends in a game at the same time,” Kelly said, joking. “And sometimes you can play with three tight ends, they told me.”
2. Wilson’s development
The Raiders have been working with a patchwork defensive line at OTAs with starters Malcolm Koonce and Christian Wilkins recovering from injuries.
That’s opened the door for some younger players to get more reps. No one needs to take advantage of his extra opportunities more than Tyree Wilson, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Texas Tech.
The 25-year-old has only had flashes through two seasons. He has eight sacks and 56 tackles in his NFL career and has struggled to be a consistent disruptive force.
Wilson may never live up to his draft pedigree, but it would be a huge boost for the Raiders if he can be more dependable next year.
He still has all the physical tools that made him a coveted prospect. Now he just needs to put it all together.
3. Linebacker room
The Raiders lost starting linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo in free agency this offseason, and believed they signed adequate replacements in Elandon Roberts and Devin White.
White, 27, has a chance to be a solid addition. He is coming off an injury-plagued season, but he was one of the NFL’s most productive linebackers from 2020 to 2022 with the Buccaneers.
The Raiders also signed veteran Jaylon Smith as depth, but they need some younger, unproven players to emerge in this group if they want their defense to improve.
Tommy Eichenberg, a 2024 fifth-round pick, and Amari Gainer, who went undrafted last year, are two players that could take on larger roles this season. Seventh-round rookie Cody Lindenberg could also earn snaps if he shows progress throughout the rest of the offseason.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.