Raiders 2024: Realizing Tre Tucker’s potential

Both offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and special teams boss Tom McMahon must take advantage of wide receiver’s speed and versatility

New head coach. New offensive coordinator. Same beckoning.

Such is the case for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker.

Last May, when the Silver & Black drafted Tucker with the 100th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (the pick Las Vegas acquired from the New York Giants that sent tight end Darren Waller to the Big Apple), I wrote about how it would be wise for the Raiders to give the third-round pick a jack of all trades role.

For whatever reason — be it head honcho Josh McDaniels incompetence or Tucker unable to assimilate to the previous regime’s system (combination of both, perhaps?) — that didn’t come to fruition.

An occasional depth threat that averaged just over two targets, one catch, and 20.7 yards in the 16 games Tucker was active, the 5-foot-9, 185-pounder’s rookie totals read: 19 receptions for 331 yards, and two touchdowns with 10 carries for 77 yards. While Tucker’s timed 4.37 second 40-yard dash speed — he runs faster on the field, at times — made defense’s account for the home run-threat, his involvement in the Raiders offense was hit and miss.

The 23-year-old Cincinnati product didn’t even register a kick or punt return his rookie year despite having the breakaway speed and collegiate production under his name (67 kick returns for 1,670 yards, and two touchdowns). That severely truncated Tucker’s ability to contribute.

Yet, Las Vegas’ 2024 campaign seems to be changing that.

Tucker’s speed is on full display during the Raiders’ two preseason games and instead of being a mere clear-out decoy, the ball was thrown towards the streaking wide receiver resulting in two big-time explosive plays of 44 and 48 yards, against the Minnesota Viking and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Tucker’s 43-yard punt return against Dallas is the kind of electricity and explosiveness that’s been missing in Las Vegas’ return game.

I don’t want to belabor the point, but Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and special teams boss Tom McMahon must take advantage of Tucker’s speed and versatility when games count in the win-loss column.

“Tre did an outstanding job. I mean, another one that was down the field as well that was right next to him and wish he could have been able to adjust to. But we seen it now for two games in a row, that explosiveness, that ability to get down the field, get those big chunk plays we’re looking for,” Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said after the team’s preseason clash against the Cowboys.

Tucker’s two outings in exhibition action should lock him in as a major part of Getsy’s offense in the regular season and the primary punt returner on McMahon’s special teams unit. And it’s the latter where Pierce is beaming regarding Tucker.

“More importantly look at the special teams,” the head coach began, “that’s three punt returns in the last two weeks and he has really changed the field dynamic in the sense for that where we want to play half court offense, not have to drive the ball 75, 80 yards down the field, whatever it may be. But he’s done a really good job finding his role. We got other players on our team, but finding his niche. He’s really done a good job the last two weeks.”

Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images

Tucker is carving out a role that offers that not only offers speed but short area quickness as both receiver and ball carrier out of the backfield. By having Tucker play all over the field and not relegated to a particular spot, Las Vegas offense can open up more possibilities as the team has sure-handed receiving options in elite Davante Adams, reliable Jakobi Meyers, young tight end Michael Mayer, and dynamic rookie tight end Brock Bowers.

Tucker can also be an asset in the run game as he’s a willing and tenacious blocker who has stood his ground against defenders despite being smaller the people he’s tasked to block.

Yet, it’s up to Getsy and McMahon to incorporate Tucker into both offense and special teams this coming season.

And by evidence from his rookie campaign, to the offseason, and preseason games, it’s clear Tucker is working diligently to refine his game. That’s an encouraging sign for Raiders coaches and fans, alike. Tucker overcame training camp struggles — he inauspiciously dropped passes in practices — to dive and haul in passes in exhibition matchups.

“The things I’ve done this whole offseason kinda prepared me for now, and I won’t say struggle in camp but you know I dropped the ball here and there,” Tucker said. “It never really phased me because of the work that I put in, and I know what I’ve set out to do, and I’m very confident.”

While the Raiders have one final preseason game on tap this Friday — hosting the San Francisco 49ers — the next time we’ll see Tucker and the first-team Raiders offense and special teams (outside of perhaps long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer, place kicker Daniel Carlson, and punter A.J. Cole III) in action is Week 1 at the Los Angeles Chargers on September 8.

We’ll find out then against the Bolts if the Raiders’ coaching staff is as confident in Tucker as the receiver is in himself.