Grade and recap
The Raiders had no business ending the season with a 7-9 record, much less actually being within a fighter’s chance of making the playoffs down the stretch. But they exceeded expectations due to some breakout performances on their roster, and the tight end group was no exception. Jon Gruden historically hasn’t leveraged tight ends in his offense, but he’d be a fool not to incorporate them more starting next season.
Las Vegas very well has a top-five tight end on their roster and that contract extension may become a bargain. Even if Waller wasn’t hauling in touchdowns, it was Foster Moreau, another rookie making an immediate impact, finding the endzone. His development in year two will be of high importance to watch.
If the Raiders want to be equal to the competition in the AFC West, they need to maximize every advantage at their disposal. Look for them to build on the success of the tight ends that we saw in 2019.