Things haven't progressed for the Oakland Raiders offense like many hoped. The receivers look out of sync, which could have to do with too few threats. Could the Silver and Black add some help in Fred Davis from the Washington Redskins?
Struggles of Jacoby Ford and others put Carson Palmer on the spot
There is always cause for concern when the starting offense is healthy and still has trouble scoring in preseason games. That faces the Raiders halfway through their four-game schedule before the regular season opener in September. Part of the problem has centered on the shaky Oakland receivers. Regular names like Darius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore have struggled either with injuries or on the field. The biggest head scratcher is speedster Jacoby Ford who has gone through two games plagued by drops. Many expected Carson Palmer to improve from his 16-interception season last year, but things haven't looked good so far. Some think the receivers are to blame and that is true, but it also has lots to do with Oakland not having other reliable players on offense outside of running back Darren McFadden. The biggest area of concern is tight end. No player on the roster has clicked yet. This means Palmer hasn't found one he likes, or even worse, the Raiders don't have any worth talking about. In the NFL of today, a solid tight end can mean playoffs. Is there any way for the Silver and Black to find one?
Davis hasn't clicked with Robert Griffin III during preseason
Another team with questions at tight end is the Washington Redskins. However, their question have more to do with a strangely quiet preseason. Through two games the top two tight ends, Chris Cooley and Fred Davis have done little to gain the trust of new rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. Davis is easily the bigger surprise of that tandem. After a solid showing last season, the fifth-year tight has reportedly had a quiet training camp. This in turn has bled into the preseason. Washington expects a lot after placing the franchise tag on him early this year. If he keeps faltering going into the season, the Redskins could cut their losses and try to trade him. At 6'4" he offers an inviting target for a quarterback, which may interest a team like Oakland. Their receivers lack size, and having a big tight end like Davis would give Carson Palmer a big security blanket on tougher downs. The major hurdle of course is the franchise tag. The Raiders won't give up a first-round pick for Davis. So they will need help from Washington.
Nobody is panicking for either the Oakland Raiders or Washington Redskins, but Carson Palmer and Robert Griffin III haven't given much love to the tight ends. If Fred Davis can't change that, then he might play his way out of a job.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
