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Raiders Sign New Tight End As They Explore Depth Options
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- Raiders Sign New Tight End As They Explore Depth Options
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Las Vegas Raiders announced the signing of tight end Zack Kuntz as they try to build depth behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayers, according to a report from Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
The move is also injury-related, which is the case with many training camp signings, and the injury in this case involved running back Chris Collier , who was waived with an injury designation, Alper added. Collier ran five times for 12 yards in three games for the Raiders in 2024.
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Kuntz was selected in the seventh round back in 2023 by the New York Jets . He spent most of his first two years on the practice squad, per Alper, but he did get on the active roster for two games. Kuntz played three offensive snaps and ten special teams snaps in those appearances.
The Raiders offense is expected to feature plenty of two tight-end sets, so depth will be important. The group behind Bowers and Mayer includes the likes of Ian Thomas, Albert Okwuegbunam , Carter Runyon, and Patrick Gurd, and none have stood out so far, although Thomas was mentioned making a play in the middle of the field in initial camp reports.
Las Vegas is probably behind most teams when it comes to training camp progress given that they're doing a full roster overhaul, and this could give Kuntz a chance to quickly catch up to his new teammates.
The main attraction with Kuntz is his unique combination of size and speed. He's 6'7" and 255 pounds, so he has a huge catch radius, and Kuntz became one of the starts of the NFL combine back in 2023 when he ran a 4.55 40-yard dash and posted a 40-inch vertical leap.
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Those numbers are elite, but so far Kurtz has mostly been a workout warrior. He was considered very raw coming out of college as he played for Penn State and then Old Dominion. He doesn't have a reputation as a strong blocker, and reports had Kuntz being inconsistent in practice.
That might not matter as much in Las Vegas, at least when it comes to the blocking part. Bowers has become a featured receiver with the Raiders, and being able to put another weapon on the field with him would give Las Vegas even more versatility. Mayer is known as a decent receiver who's reliable when it comes to catching the ball, but he's not a game breaker by any stretch of the imagination.
