The Raiders were without rookie sensation Michael Mayer in Week 16 as he continues to deal with a toe injury. Mayer did not practice all week and it’s fair to wonder about his status heading into a huge Week 17 game against the Colts.
With Mayer’s status in doubt, the Raiders have signed veteran tight end Zach Gentry off the practice squad of the Bengals to the 53-man roster. Gentry is a former late-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has played in a bunch of games as a blocking tight end.
The #Raiders are signing TE Zach Gentry off the #Bengals practice squad, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 27, 2023
Standing at 6’8, 265 pounds, Gentry is one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL. He was a college quarterback at Michigan before making the transition to tight end. We will see if he is active in Week 17, but that might depend on the status of Mayer.