Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Yet another Silver and Black defection has occurred as Brandon Myers has inked a four-year contract with the New York Giants.  Myers was about the only man to benefit from Greg Knapp’s disastrous offense last season. The fourth year tight end flourished leading the Raiders in receptions and yards.

For Oakland this creates yet another gaping hole to be filled. After so many years of stability at the tight end position when Zach Miller was in town the Raiders will now have a fourth different starter for four years running when the season begins.

There was no doubt that Myers was sure to garner plenty of attention on the open market coming off of a career year. However there was some hope the Raiders would be able to retain their top pass catcher from 2012.

But in keeping with the theme of this offseason thus far the Raiders once again failed to retain an unrestricted free agent as Myers heads to the New York where he’ll replace Martellus Bennett who left the Giants for the Chicago Bears.

The natural question is what the Raiders will do to replace Myers. Neither David Ausberry nor Richard Gordon were able to work their way into the rotation last season despite the opportunity being there coming into camp. Ausberry is still very much a project while Gordon’s forte is blocking.

Nov 11, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Oakland Raiders tight end Brandon Myers (83) catches a pass as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain (53) defends at M

Brandon Myers could be the next member of the Silver and Black exodus. Already the Raiders have seen plenty of past contributors depart with Matt Shaughnessy most recently joining the Arizona Cardinals. Now comes word that the team’s leading receiver for 2012 is exploring his future employment options elsewhere.

According to reports Brandon Myers is headed to New York for a scheduled visit with the Giants who recently lost their starting tight end Martellus Bennett to the Chicago Bears.

With few funds available, Reggie McKenzie has had to sit and watch as more and more holes open up on the Raiders roster. Unable to compete with the cash offered to Desmond Bryant and Philip Wheeler, McKenzie could once again find himself priced out of the Myers sweepstakes.

Despite the very public struggles of Oakland’s offense under Greg Knapp Myers was able to thrive. His career year of 79 catches for 806 yards should equate to a long-term deal with plenty of bonus incentives. Among the accomplishments of Myers in 2012 he tied the franchise records for most receptions in a single game. Not bad for a sixth round pick originally thought to be a blocking tight end at the NFL level.

Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE

Greg Knapp is public enemy #1 these days around Raider Nation. He had a healthy Darren McFadden and made him more useless than Tim Tebow down three scores in the fourth quarter. Knapp was given a full cupboard yet has squandered all the talent Hue Jackson groomed (never thought we’d be missing that man so much).

Sill, not everyone is suffering through the McFadden swoon. A few players have benefited from Knapp’s ignorant approach to pounding a square peg of an offense into the round hole of talent the Raiders boast.

Denarius Moore is finding the consistency he was lacking as a rookie, quietly developing into a real fantasy stud. Carson Palmer is putting up career numbers even though after this season his career looks to be on a one-way course to battling Mark Sanchez or some other woeful NFL signal caller next season.

But the man that has seen his career take a turn for the best is Brandon Myers who is thriving in Knapp’s championship check down passing attack.

When Hue Jackson was calling the shots the Oakland tight ends became more irrelevant than Sarah Palin’s opinion on anything. With Knapp and his very un-vertical attack in place Myers is thriving.

The former Hawkeye is leading the way for the Raiders in receiving having hauled in 44 passes thus far. That’s far beyond his career total entering the season and looks to continue provided he can avoid any further concussion issues.

Drafted as a blocker, Myers showed some good hands in his first preseason action as a rookie. That never fully translated to the regular season even when he was given the opportunity to start.

This year things have been much different. Myers has become a reliable target for Palmer and more importantly he’s finally developing into a red zone weapon.

Previously it was Zach Miller that played the Myers role posting some impressive numbers. But Miller was never the red zone threat the Raiders so needed. We’ve also learned that Miller’s production was largely inflated due to the terrible offenses he played in.

Perhaps Myers too is just a product of the system he’s playing in. In Houston the Texans utilized their tight ends in the passing game so its only natural Knapp gets the same production in Oakland. Whatever the reason for his production, Myers will take it. Its seasons like this that can change the tide for a pro football player. Safe to say that Knapp has pretty much gifted a new contract to Myers thus allowing him to be more than a journey man special teamer in the NFL.