The Las Vegas Raiders signed veteran tight end Zach Gentry late in the 2023 season.
The club had been shorthanded with the absence of standout rookie Michael Mayer, who missed the Raiders' last three games with a toe injury. Gentry would only play in Las Vegas' final game of the season, taking 18 offensive snaps against the Denver Broncos.
Gentry had previously played four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the 141st overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, which ironically, the Raiders had traded, along with the 66th overall pick, to Pittsburgh for wide receiver Antonio Brown.
In his 41 games (26 starts) as a Steeler, Gentry recorded 303 receiving yards. He was released by Pittsburgh as part of roster cuts back in August. The Cincinnati Bengals would sign him to their practice squad in September.
Gentry has one year remaining on his two-year, $2.2-million contract. With backup tight ends Austin Hooper and Jesper Horsted being free agents this offseason, Gentry's role with Las Vegas could grow next season, especially if Mayer struggles with any more longterm injuries.
Should Hooper and Horsted stay, though, that leaves limited room for Gentry in the rotation. The veteran tight end is also going on his sixth year and isn't getting any younger. His track record as an NFL tight end does not exactly jump off the page either.
It would not be all that surprising if the Raiders part ways with Gentry by the start of the 2024 season.
Gentry played college ball at Michigan, where he played 33 games and made 24 starts. He totaled 514 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his final collegiate season (2018). Gentry would be named to the All-Big 10 Third Team by league coaches, as well as an All-Big 10 Honorable Mention by the media.
From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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