A report in The Athletic over the weekend indicates the Raiders have been taking calls on Michael Mayer. That catches my eye. He hasn’t been able to get over the hump, but I’m not ready to write him off.
Mayer, recall, was an early second-round pick two years ago. He wasn’t a standout as a rookie, but I remember one pretty spectacular grab in a Sunday night game against the Jets.
That one can be seen on Trusty Old YouTube.
Mayer’s circumstances changed a year ago when the Raiders selected Brock Bowers in the first round. That contributed to a lesser role for Mayer, and he also stepped away from the team for six games for unspecified personal reasons. But he came back and had a game against Tampa Bay where he caught 7 passes for 68 yards.
I would think there will be some team that will be interested in bringing in Mayer in hopes of getting him going.
At the same time, typically when a tight end doesn’t do much in his first two seasons, that usually means it’s just not going to happen.
Below see the list of all tight ends selected in the second round in the 32-team era. You’re seeing their total stats in their first two seasons.
Of the tight ends who were less productive than Mayer in their first two seasons, and I don’t see many who ever ended up doing much. Martellus Bennett had some productive years. Anthony Fasano and Vance McDonald played a lot of ball, but didn’t tend to accumulate big numbers.
If Mayer gets traded into the right spot, he’ll start to look like a roster possibility, but let’s see.
SECOND-ROUND TIGHT ENDS; FIRST TWO YEARS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Draft | Player | Tgt | No | Yards | TD | PPR |
2010 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 183 | 132 | 1873 | 27 | 487.5 |
2023 | Sam LaPorta, Det. | 203 | 146 | 1615 | 17 | 413.9 |
2021 | Pat Freiermuth, Pitt. | 177 | 123 | 1229 | 9 | 301.9 |
2008 | John Carlson, Sea. | 163 | 106 | 1201 | 12 | 298.1 |
2016 | Hunter Henry, S.D. | 115 | 81 | 1057 | 12 | 258.7 |
2013 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 146 | 94 | 1171 | 7 | 253.1 |
2007 | Zach Miller, Oak. | 154 | 100 | 1222 | 4 | 246.2 |
2022 | Trey McBride, Ari. | 145 | 110 | 1090 | 4 | 243.0 |
2018 | Dallas Goedert, Phil. | 131 | 91 | 941 | 9 | 239.1 |
2011 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 132 | 79 | 742 | 12 | 227.2 |
2012 | Coby Fleener, Ind. | 135 | 78 | 889 | 6 | 206.9 |
2006 | Tony Scheffler, Den. | 102 | 67 | 835 | 9 | 204.8 |
2004 | Ben Troupe, Ten. | 134 | 88 | 859 | 5 | 203.9 |
2020 | Cole Kmet, Chi. | 137 | 88 | 855 | 2 | 185.2 |
2011 | Lance Kendricks, St.L. | 122 | 70 | 871 | 4 | 182.3 |
2018 | Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 121 | 73 | 772 | 5 | 180.2 |
2019 | Irv Smith, Min. | 90 | 66 | 676 | 7 | 177.6 |
2003 | L.J. Smith, Phil. | 100 | 61 | 698 | 6 | 166.8 |
2002 | Doug Jolley, Oak. | 91 | 63 | 659 | 3 | 146.9 |
2008 | Fred Davis, Was. | 86 | 51 | 536 | 6 | 140.3 |
2017 | Gerald Everett, LAR | 82 | 49 | 564 | 5 | 140.3 |
2014 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins, T.B. | 77 | 42 | 559 | 6 | 133.9 |
2023 | Michael Mayer, L.V. | 72 | 48 | 460 | 2 | 108.0 |
2023 | Brenton Strange, Jac. | 62 | 45 | 446 | 3 | 107.6 |
2008 | Martellus Bennett, Dall. | 57 | 35 | 442 | 4 | 103.2 |
2019 | Drew Sample, Cin. | 59 | 45 | 379 | 1 | 88.9 |
2023 | Luke Musgrave, G.B. | 56 | 41 | 397 | 1 | 86.7 |
2014 | Jace Amaro, NYJ | 53 | 38 | 345 | 2 | 84.5 |
2023 | Luke Schoonmaker, Dall. | 51 | 35 | 306 | 3 | 83.6 |
2013 | Gavin Escobar, Dall. | 28 | 18 | 239 | 6 | 77.9 |
2003 | Teyo Johnson, Oak. | 35 | 23 | 259 | 3 | 66.9 |
2015 | Maxx Williams, Balt. | 48 | 32 | 268 | 1 | 64.8 |
2006 | Anthony Fasano, Dall. | 45 | 28 | 269 | 1 | 60.9 |
2017 | Adam Shaheen, Chi. | 20 | 17 | 175 | 4 | 60.5 |
2006 | Joe Klopfenstein, St.L. | 37 | 22 | 263 | 2 | 60.3 |
2014 | Troy Niklas, Ari. | 7 | 7 | 71 | 2 | 26.1 |
2013 | Vance McDonald, S.F. | 27 | 10 | 149 | 0 | 24.9 |
2004 | Kris Wilson, K.C. | 5 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 6.9 |
2009 | Richard Quinn, Den. | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1.9 |
2003 | Ben Joppru, Hou. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 |
—Ian Allan