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Wide receive and tight end were both upgraded prior to last season, both in free agency and the draft. Those acquisitions still lead their respective units, giving the offense some consistency and reliability it hadn't had in many years.
Starters
Clive Walford - 2nd year
Lee Smith - 5th year
Entering his second season with the team, Walford looks poised to be a big part of the team's offense. Even though he has been out all offseason after injuring his knee in an ATV accident, he's expected back for training camp. He is considered a complete tight end who can block and catch and began to show his potential late last season. Smith was signed last offseason as the team's blocking tight end. That's what he does best and sees a lot of snaps because of it.
Reserves
Mychal Rivera - 4th year
Rivera was once the team's starting tight end; mostly by default. There were some rumors he was being shopped prior to the draft, but he remains with the team entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Position battle
Mychal Rivera vs Gabe Holmes
Last season Rivera had one of the lowest yards per catch on the team. He has good hands but is a liability as a blocker. Holmes is a former basketball player who was signed last offseason as an undrafted free agent out of Purdue. He was a raw talent, but the team was high on his potential in camp. Ultimately he landed on the practice squad, but later in the season the team called him up to the active roster to ensure another team couldn't sign him away. He will be looking to take another step forward in training camp and attempting to beat out Rivera for the third tight end job.
Bubble watch
Gabe Holmes - 2nd year
It is entirely possible the team could carry four tight ends just as they did late last season. Rivera could be used as more of an H-back type especially in the first three games with Marcel Reece suspended. That could open the door for Holmes to make the opening day roster and you never know what could happen in those first three weeks. If he shows well, they could keep him and dump Rivera or decide to keep both and dump someone else.
The rest
Colton Underwood - 1st year
Ryan O'Malley - Rookie (UDFA)
Must Reads
Must Reads
53-man roster projection (15/53)
Quarterbacks (3)
Derek Carr
Matt McGloin
Connor Cook
Must Reads
Running backs (4)
Latavius Murray
DeAndre Washington
Jamize Olawale
Taiwan Jones
Wide receivers (5)
Amari Cooper
Michael Crabtree
Seth Roberts
Andre Holmes
Joe Hansley
Tight end (3)
Clive Walford
Lee Smith
Mychal Rivera
Bubble watch
RB Roy Helu Jr
TE Gabe Holmes
Practice squad (3/10)
RB Jalen Richard
WR Max McCaffrey
WR Jaydon Mickens
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