Speed was what Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker was known for coming out of Cincinnati. It was his hands that he struggled with. And now we understand at least part of the reason why — he wasn’t judging the ball properly.
To correct this, Tucker had offseason Lasik surgery.
“When I looked at the end of my season last year, I was actually far sided, so it was harder seeing things far away,” Tucker said. “It wasn’t crazy but as a receiver, and you don’t have 20/20 vision, it’s very important that you do.”
As a rookie, Tucker’s receiving issues were apparent. He didn’t look like a natural hands catcher. The ball often clapped into his hands, which meant it was more prone to bobbles and drops. The opposite of soft hands, if you will. That’s usually one of those things you just thing a receiver has or they don’t. But in this case, it could have simply been for poor eyesight.
Tucker has seen a significant different in how he sees and judges the ball as it arrives.
“It’s a huge difference,” said Tucker.
“I would just say it’s the depth [perception]. When you’re seeing something far away, you don’t really know how fast it’s coming or where it is and [now I am] able to locate the ball faster. That’s probably what I’ve noticed out of getting it.”
The second year receiver put his newfound tracking skills on display in the Raiders’ preseason opener. First by reaching behind him to haul in a fast ball for a 29-yard gain and then by making probably the best catch I’ve ever seen him make on a 44-yard deep ball.
That catch, he turned away from the ball while it was in the air, turned to look over his other shoulder, finding the ball again and then laying out to get it. No way he could have made that adjustment and that catch with poor depth perception.
“It happened so fast, it’s crazy,” Tucker said of the catch. “I just remember looking over one shoulder and looking over the other and the next thing you know I just came down with the catch. So, that’s one of those where you probably won’t get that in practice, but when it comes in the game, you got to make it.”
He keeps making catches like that and he will earn the right to keep the job as the Raiders third receiver.