3 reasons Derek Carrier deserves a roster spot with the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are fresh off a preseason win where the offense played extremely well against the Cardinals. Raider Nation should be pleased with how the team played and especially the offensive players, including Derek Carrier.

Derek Carrier is fighting for a roster spot with the Oakland Raiders, where he’s ranked third on the depth chart. Carrier is 6’3″ 240 pounds and can run routes as good as a receiver. He’s tall, bulky, and uses his body very well.

Historically, tight-ends have been used for blocking and not so much for receiving. However, in the last 20 years with players like Shannon Sharpe, Rob Gronkowski, and Tony Gonzalez, the tight end position has become more of a receiving one. Most teams have 2-3 depending on their offense with 1 being the receiver and the other 1 or 2 being the blockers.

Currently, the Raiders have six, but here are the three I believe the Raiders should keep.

Darren Waller was added to the roster late in 2018 after being with the Ravens for a few years. The tight end was originally a wide receiver which makes him the top player at that position.

Derek Carrier came to the Raiders last season, and had a couple of nice moments in his first year in the Silver and Black. The tight end ran a perfect fade route to score a touchdown in the game against the Cardinals. Just take a look at this highlight:

Foster Moreau was drafted this year from LSU. He’s big, tall, and fast: everything Gruden likes in a tight end. The rookie was taken in the late 5th round at pick 137 and it made sense at that point in the draft with the players left on the board.

On the chopping block

Luke Wilson was signed from the Seahawks to be the blocker type and has a pro-football focus rating of 57. However, this takes into account catching, route running, and blocking. Wilson is a blocking tight end and him staying with the team is a matter of how much Gruden will use big sets and I-formations.