Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE

The Raiders have not even thrown on their pads yet and there are already minor injuries occuring in camp. Today, both Richard Gordon and Mike Goodson were reported to go down with minor injuries during the run through in practice. Ron Bartell is also dealing with a hamstring injury right now. Although all three of them are day-to-day according to Dennis Allen, this is opening up opportunities for some other guys to get reps with the starters.

Ron Bartell is currently dealing with a minor hamstring injury that caused him to sit out of today’s practice. DeMarcus Van Dyke got some looks on the starting defense today and was a standout player according to multiple sources who watched practice. Many have been speculating that he may beat out Bartell or Spencer for a spot as a starter. So far he is on the right track right, taking full advantage of having Bartell sidelined. Hopefully Bartell can come back soon and force some more competition for growth among the defensive backs.

One area of uncertainty for the Raiders is who will be starting at the tight end position. Brandon Myers is currently running with the starting O but many are speculating that Richard Gordon or David Ausberry will eventually take over the position. Richard Gordon, the blocking specialist of the group, went down today with a hip flexor injury. Although it is apparently minor, this will give Ausberry a chance to get more looks and possibly nab the starting spot from the group. He put on some serious size that will give him more leverage in the blocking game to add to his incredible receiving skills.

Raider fans all over have been hoping that the Raiders would add former U.T. standout, Cedric Benson, to their 53 man squad. Raiders personnel have admitted interest in Benson but have not made a move because they want to see how the squad will work out with McFadden, Jones and Goodson. In practice Tuesday, Mike Goodson went down with a hamstring injury. Although it was reported that it was only a tweaked hamstring, he was listed as day-to-day by Dennis Allen after practice. If Goodson continues to sit out practices with minor or major injuries, the Raiders will have to look elsewhere to find tough back up running back for the fragile Darren McFadden. There is already enough injury-plague in this squad and we need someone who can get through a game without a tweaked hammy.

Brandon Myers and Richard Gordon are blockers by trade who just so happen to catch an occasional pass. Same could be said for the man they’re trying to replace, Kevin Boss. In fact the only tight end that can even be thought of as a threat in the passing game is David Ausberry, the project receiver learning a new position in the pros.

With the way the tight end position has evolved it would appear as if the Raiders are rolling back the clock. While most franchises are looking for receivers that can occasionally block the Raiders are stocked with blockers that occasionally catch.

May 15, 2012; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders senior offensive assistant Al Saunders (right) talks with tight end David Ausberry (86) at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The good news for the Raiders is that Carson Palmer is no Jason Campbell. JC was a check down champion that needed a reliable receiver at tight end. Palmer is more of a downfield risk taker that is more likely to try and squeeze one into a narrow window 30 yards away than he is to dump one off to a big body 8 yards in front of him.

That’s not to say one approach is better than the other. Palmer’s style is just more suited to what this current roster consists of.

The real concern is the amount of experience and depth the Raiders have at the position, which at this point is pretty much none at all.

Myers is the senior member of the unit and he has just 32 catches in 3 years to his name half of which came in 2011. Myers was never known as a receiver coming out of Iowa and his career best of 9.4 yards per catch says not much has changed in the pros.

Both Ausberry and Gordon are works in progress each with potential yet neither with any real game experience. Gordon saw the most action as a rookie playing in a multitude of packages including making a start at fullback. He’s a bruising blocker but offers almost nothing as a receiver.

Ausberry is the wildcard blessed with an athletic skill set that has some seeing another Antonio Gates type talent hitting the AFC West. But that is all wishful thinking at this point. He’s the best receiving option of Oakland’s tight ends but still has to make plenty of progress in other areas before he can be an every down player.

The only other tight end currently listed on the Raiders roster is Boise State UFA Kyle Efaw. He could get a look on the practice squad but barring a miracle we’re likely looking at the aforementioned three headed monster being Oakland’s tight end all rolled into one.

For Reggie McKenzie this is all part of the process. He knows his team is thin in some key areas. That’s just the way it’s going to be until things are all sorted out. So, if you asked McKenzie if he feels his team is too thin at tight end he’d likely say ‘yes’ and remind you the same goes for right tackle, cornerback, linebacker and a few other positions at the moment. That’s just the way it is. You take the field with the team you have and not the one you want.

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

The David Ausberry experiment is entering its second and perhaps most crucial year. A onetime highly recruited wide receiver out of Lemoore High Ausberry is trying to transition to becoming an NFL tight end in a league where the position is suddenly a huge weapon in the passing game.

For the Raiders they desperately need more production from their tight ends in 2012. Zach Miller was the team’s best receiver for years until departing for Seattle last season. Kevin Boss got one shot at taking over and was shown the exit after a subpar and injured filled showing in 2011.

Now the position is ripe for a camp battle with Ausberry in the mix to see more than just the two balls thrown his way during his rookie campaign.

What makes this year so critical for Ausberry is that he’s got to impress the Reggie McKenzie regime. They didn’t draft Ausberry and we’ve already seen what has happened to some of the other Al Davis projects. As a 7^th round pick its not like Ausberry has the luxury of knowing his contract will keep him around like Rolando McClain so his game will have to do all the talking.

In addition the Raiders have already started looking for more options at the position going as far as to try and convert a collegiate hoopster into an NFL tight end.

The good news for Ausberry is that thus far the early returns from his OTA performances have been well received. He spent the off season packing on 15 more pounds of muscle. With his amazing skill set, having a 265-pound freakish athlete running routes in the middle of the field is welcomed addition to the Oakland offense. Of course there is much more to the position than catching balls. Ausberry knows that and said as much when asked about his prospects heading into his second season.

“I was doing a lot of the same things last year, but now it’s pretty much hand in the dirt. There were a lot of formations where I am split out wide, but now it’s more about being a real tight end. It feels pretty good.”

Part of becoming a “real tight end” includes blocking. While Boss wasn’t the weapon in the passing game Miller was he did give Oakland another punishing blocker in the run game. When healthy, Boss was burying defenders in helping to open massive holes for Darren McFadden and Michael Bush last year.

Between Ausberry and Richard Gordon the Raiders have the makings of a great tight end with Ausberry the offensive threat and Gordon the blocker. But this isn’t a position by committee. With the Raiders employing the West Coast Offense they’ll need one man to be the total package. Ausberry could be that guy and he’ll get his chance to prove it.