Last season saw an all-new tight end duo in Oakland. A break-out young tight end and a surprise rookie both offered strong contributions to the offense. Now there’s a new veteran face to the tight end room who will be battling to show he’s still got something left in the tank.
Foster Moreau vs Jason Witten
Position: No. 2 TE
Others: Darren Waller, Derek Carrier, Nick O’Leary, Nick Bowers
Darren Waller burst onto the scene last season, instantly showing he is one of the top young tight end talents in the NFL. And he earned a long term extension out of it. He remains the present and future starter for the Raiders. But there is a battle for playing time behind him.
This is a battle between tight ends who share a birthday 15 years apart. One whose career is just starting and the other whose career is in its twilight.
Foster Moreau was a fourth-round pick by the Raiders last season. He wasn’t a great receiving threat at LSU, catching just 52 passes for 629 yards and six touchdowns over four years with the Tigers. He was seen as primarily a blocking tight end, but he revealed he could catch the ball a good bit as well.
As a rookie, Moreau caught 21 passes in 13 games, which was one short of his LSU senior season total. Five of those catches went for touchdowns, which matched his total over both his junior and senior seasons.
From the looks of Waller and Moreau, the Raiders were set. But then Jason Witten became an option and he was just too enticing for Gruden to pass up.
Following the 2017 season, Witten, at the age of 35, retired and went into broadcasting. He left on a high note, having gone to his 11th Pro Bowl in 15 seasons – all with the Cowboys. A season away and he decided he wanted back in and Jerry Jones didn’t hesitate to re-sign him, even at the age of 37.
He didn’t disappoint, putting up 63 catches for 529 yards and 4 touchdowns. Now 38, he still isn’t ready to hang them up and the Raiders will give him a chance to see if he can keep it going.
He will battle the 23-year-old Moreau for playing time. And hence we will see if Moreau has more to offer on his way up than Witten has on his way down.
This is probably not a battle for a roster spot, but rather playing time. Unless Moreau is not all the way back from his season-ending injury from 2019 or Witten again decides he’s ready to hang up his cleats, they should be the next two options after Waller in two-tight end sets.
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