2019 was the year of the tight ends in the NFL and that was the case for the Oakland Raiders, as well. The team saw Darren Waller rise to stardom as he caught 90 passes for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. But there was actually another tight end on the roster who impressed during the season; fourth-round pick Foster Moreau.
Moreau played just 371 snaps for the Raiders last season, but he actually finished second in touchdown receptions with six. Not only was he a valuable receiver, but he should the ability to be an effective blocker, as well.
In a recent article by ESPN, Moreau was named one of the top-25 young prospects in the NFL. Here is a snippet from Rivers McCown as to why Moreau could be an important part of the Raiders’ offense going forward:
Another player who probably would have avoided this list if not for a knee injury, Moreau was instantly a high-use tight end in an offense that loves tight ends, and he produced early. Moreau was targeted 27 times last season and had a 29.6% DVOA that ranked third highest in the NFL among tight ends.
With the signing of Jason Witten, Moreau’s role for this year is a bit more up in the air than it probably should be. Jon Gruden loves tight ends, but among Moreau, Witten and Darren Waller, he has a lot of potential pass targets. At the very worst, though, this season can be sold as Moreau learning from an all-time great, and he should be a solid tight end going forward.
Like Waller, Moreau is a fantastic athlete and hasn’t even come close to reaching his ceiling. If he can continue to improve as a blocker, he has all the tools to become one of the best No. 2 tight ends in all of the NFL. Look for Moreau to play near-starter level snaps for the Raiders this season at both tight-end and H-back.
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