As we move through the various camp battles that will be taking place starting next month we come to one of the most undervalued positions in football, the tight end. Having a top tier tight end can be the difference maker for an offense. The Oakland Raiders have a very good young tight end in Zach Miller. The question centering on this position in camp is who will his backups be?
Projected Starter: Zach Miller
Zach had a strong rookie season, and showed the beginnings of chemistry with JaMarcus Russell catching 8 passes in Russell’s only start. Look for that chemistry to grow with them now having a training camp together.
Projected Depth: John Madsen and Tony Stewart
Madsen is a converted receiver who has shown a flair for the big play when he has gotten his number called, but has not excelled in blocking at this point in his career. Tony Stewart, not the one who drives the Home Depot car, showed himself to be a good blocker and special teams player last year.
Outside Looking In: Fred Wakefield, Darrell Strong, and Fred Wagner
Wakefield has been seeing time in practice as a defensive end, so that shows that he is not featured highly in the plans as a tight end. Strong and Wagner are both undrafted free agents, who will have to make a huge impact to make the team.
What to Look for:
The most intriguing factor is whether or not the early chemistry between Russell and Miller will carry over to the new season. It will also be interesting to see if Madsen can turn his flashes into becoming a more consistent threat.
WildCard:
This position seems to be pretty cut and dried at this point. UDFA Marcel Reece could potentially make a play to move from wideout to Tight End/H-back. Other than that, this position actually seems rather set.
