Adding another tight end shouldn’t be a Raiders’ afterthought

· Yahoo Sports

Nov 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar (88) runs with the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders’ need list is a long one.

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Such is the case after a team compile a 3-14 overall record showcasing an impotent offense and equally limp coaching staff. That resulted in yet another coaching change — out went Pete Carroll and in comes Klint Kubiak. And so, the quest to build a roster and stack wins begins anew for the Silver & Black. General manager John Spytek remains and will now tag team with Kubiak to right the ship in Las Vegas.

Landing a quarterback, reinforcing the offensive line, adding more talent and depth at the linebacker position which will now feature four in team’s 3-4 base defense, are just three of myriad of roster requirements.

Fortunately for both Spytek and Kubiak, the Raiders aren’t hurting in terms of both cap space and draft capital. The team is set to have around $90 million in salary cap room and with free agency on the horizon, it’d be surprising to Las Vegas sitting idlily when the open market begins next Monday. Add in the 10 selections the team has in the 2026 NFL Draft — including the No. 1 overall pick — and the Raiders have an opportunity to fill voids on the roster.

One of those need areas is tight end. Even with elite Brock Bowers and well-rounded Michael Mayer on the roster, adding another tight end shouldn’t be a Raiders’ afterthought. With Kubiak’s penchant to trot out multiple tight end sets, having three on the 53-man roster is the minimum. While Las Vegas has undrafted rookie free agent Carter Runyon and veteran Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. (future/reserve) on the roster, there’s a free agent-option and prospect that should pique the Raiders as fits for Kubiak’s offense.

Free Agent

Charlie Kolar, Baltimore Ravens

A blocking tight end with the underused receiving skillset, this Iowa State product certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds. Taken by the Ravens in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2022 draft, Kolar made the successful transition from receiving tight end (168 catches for 2,181 yards and 23 touchdowns in four seasons at Iowa State from 2018-21) to a blocking-focused on in Baltimore (47 games, 13 starts, with 30 receptions for 409 yards and four touchdowns).

By adding more bulk and maintaining his athleticism and footwork, Kolar found a niche in the Ravens’ run game as stout in-line blocker. This was a role Kolar found himself doing during his four-year stint at Iowa State, but he’s successfully made the swap from pass-catching tight end to blocker. The ability to not only assimilate but dedicate himself to the blocking aspect of the position is going to interest teams looking to snag one of the better blocking tight ends on the market.

The 27-year-old had to carve a role with pass-catching types Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely ahead of him on Baltimore’s depth chart, and he did it very well. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked Kolar as the eighth-best run blocking tight end in the league in 2025.

But as teams become more pass happy, run-blocking tight ends don’t get much attention or coin compared to their receiving contemporaries. Because of that, Kolar is seen as an under-the-radar/sneaky free agent signing as he isn’t projected to break the bank on the open market. Spotrac calculates a $1.7 million average annual salary for Kolar while Over The Cap denotes a higher potential market value at $4.388 million per year.

The Rookie

Sam Roush, Stanford

As one of the few “Y” tight ends (in-line blocker) in the 2026 prospect pool, this 6-foot-6 and 267-pound Cardinal will stand out on his sheer measurables alone. But what he’s put on tape during his Stanford career backs up the size he brings to the table.

Roush is effective in both zone and gap schemes and with his scheme versatility alongside his size and intelligence, make him a great fit for the offense Kubiak is installing and will be calling in the upcoming 2026 season. Roush has the lateral quickness to cut-off defenders in zone and can anchor to keep the ballcarrier free to operate. It’s that footwork and positioning to seal off the edge on wide runs that’ll make Kubiak to take a few serious looks at this Stanford product.

Roush’s ability to quickly get off combo blocks and make a bee-line to wards a linebacker on the second level highlights another tantalizing aspect of this tight end prospects game for Kubiak.

Roush is no slouch as a receiving tight end, either. He hauled in 119 passes for 1,201 yards and four touchdowns during his four-year stint in Stanford (2022-25) and has the size to be a red zone weapon for a coach willing to dial his number and put Roush in the best possible position to succeed.

While 12 personnel is a Kubiak calling card, the Raiders new head honcho and offensive play caller does deploy the 13 personnel grouping that features one running back, three tight ends, and one wide receiver.

Projected to be a Day 2 or early Day 3 selection, Roush is going to be likely within Las Vegas’ reach.

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