When the Las Vegas Raiders signed tight end Harrison Bryant, the idea was that he would be the backup to 2023 second-round pick and starting tight end Michael Mayer, but things have changed drastically since then.
The Raiders surprisingly went with Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft over a month after signing Bryant, which pushes the veteran to No. 3 on the depth chart.
Bucky Brooks discusses Davante Adams' future with Raiders 'The Insiders'
NFL Network's Bucky Brooks weighs in on Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams' future with the Raiders ahead of the 2024 NFL season.
Because of that, Pro Football Network's Dakota Randall named Bryant as a cut candidate for the Raiders ahead of training camp. Here's his thoughts:
"The Raiders signed Harrison Bryant in free agency, but then drafted Brock Bowers in the first round a year after using a second-round pick on Michael Mayer," Randall wrote. "If Bryant doesn’t outperform Mayer in camp, he could find himself back on the open market."
Bryant making the roster isn't at all dependent on outperforming Mayer. The Raiders are going to carry more than two tight ends, and could carry as many as four given the fact that they're expected to run a lot of two-tight-end sets.
Bryant has proven to be an asset as a No. 2 tight end during his career. He's a reliable pair of hands — especially in the red zone — and a solid blocker. He would serve as a high-end No. 3 tight end for Las Vegas and solid insurance for Mayer.
Barring him being disgruntled or having an epically bad training camp, Bryant will be on the roster in Week 1.
