The Las Vegas Raiders traded up in last year's NFL Draft to select tight end Michael Mayer. The rookie tight end was arguably the top tight end available in the draft, and the Raiders secured him. However, early in his career, the Raiders' former coaching staff seemed to struggle to find ways to get him involved in the offense.
Josh McDaniels and Mick Lombardi had the difficult task of figuring out the issues that plagued the offense, mainly how to consistently move the ball while keeping their star wide receiver and running back happy with enough catches and carries.
This led to few opportunities for Mayer to impact games outside of improving his blocking in the run game. However, Mayer is too talented to be used as a blocker primarily, and the Raiders invested an extra draft pick to select Mayer in the second round. The Raiders essentially traded an extra player away because of how much they believed in Mayer's potential.
The Raiders enter a new season with nearly an entirely new offensive coaching staff. Mayer now has an entire season of experience in the National Football League and a whole offseason to improve his game. It is assumed that Mayer will work during the offseason to do just that. The Raiders coaching staff must also learn how to use Mayer's skillset fully.
This past season, Mayer didn't have many games where he was showcased as the game-changing tight end he has the potential to be. Most of that can be attributed to him playing on a team with many offensive weapons around him, all of whom were paid significantly more than him to be critical pass-catching options for the team.
However, with a new season on the horizon and a new offensive coordinator in Luke Getsy, the Raiders now have ample time and opportunity to figure out ways to get the most out of Mayer. If the Raiders can put together a competent offensive line, get more consistent play from their quarterback position, and more competent playcalling, showcasing Mayer could equal at least an extra win or two next season.
Considering they barely missed the playoffs this past season, an extra win or two is more than worth incorporating Mayer into the team's offensive game plan more often next season.
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