Currently the Raiders hold the third most draft capital in the NFL. New head coach Pete Carrol hopes to use it to build the current unit into a competitive team right away. But they are hoping to add to that capital by trading away some current assets they think perhaps could be put to better use elsewhere.
One such piece is tight end Michael Mayer. According to a report by The Athletic, the Raiders spent some of their time at the combine this week shopping Mayer in trade, hoping another team will be open to parting with a draft for the former 35th overall pick.
Two years ago the Raiders traded up to select Michael Mayer at the top of the second round. A year later, when the Raiders were set to select at 13, and with all the draft’s top quarterbacks gone, they went with the best player on the board, taking Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. This suddently left Mayer as an afterthought.
Mayer followed up a rookie season with a meager 27 catches for 304 yards with just 156 yards on 21 catches last season, including missing six games for ‘personal reasons’.
Bowers had a rookie season for the ages, setting all-time records for tight end receiving yards, rookie receptions, and franchise receptions. He was named an All Pro and was the first runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors as the only other rookie to receive a first place vote besides winner Jayden Daniels.
While the Raiders could likely use Mayer as a number two tight end, he wasn’t drafted to be in that role and they are hoping another team thinks he can realize his potential on their squad and the Raiders can possibly get a mid-round draft pick in return.