Aug 24, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Qadir Ismail (83) during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Will Raiders TE Qadir Ismail Carve Out a Role?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated May 11, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders will head into the 2025 NFL season looking to get things going in the right direction. The Raiders are coming off a bad showing in the 2024 season and now with a new head coach in Pete Carroll, they will have a leader who knows how to get things going in the right direction with a franchise that has been struggling to find stability and wins.

The one bright spot from last year's team was the play of tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers had one of the best, if not the best rookie seasons ever. Bowers broke a lot of records in his first season in the National Football League and made a new for himself in year one. Bowers will be one of the key weapons in this offense with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

The Raiders do have another young, talented tight end in Michael Mayer, who can be a good piece in the Chip Kelly offense as well. Mayer and Bowers can do it all and will do anything this team needs to make it successful. These are two players you want on your team, and the Raiders have them. And they can be on the field together a lot next season.

Our Hondo Carpenter talked about one player that has an outside chance of getting the final tight end spot on the team's roster, Qadir Ismail, on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"I only expect them to take three [tight ends]," said Carpenter. "But a guy that may have a spot at the third spot and maybe have a shot to beat [Ian] Thomas out, a little better shot than Shorter, although I am not predicting that. This is a new signer, Qadir Ismail."

"I think for sure he can get on the practice squad. But this is a guy that, has you ever heard the old saying, "the jack of many trades, master of none," that is kind of Ismail. But he is just good enough at versatility at blocking, special teams, receiving, just good enough, that you can say, if you can park him on your practice squad, he may turn into something."