Coming off a major win against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders rookie wideout Tre Tucker had some strong words regarding Josh McDaniels and Aidan O’Connell.
Tucker, the 100th overall pick back in April, makes things happen when he gets the ball. Not a traditional receiver but also not a running back, he’s a gadget player with some special potential. Though let’s keep in mind that he’s a rookie who’s still developing, that alone is exciting for the future of the Raiders offense. Coming off the best performance of his career thus far, Tucker had some interesting things to say, specifically about his quarterback and, wait for it, his former head coach.
Tre Tucker, Aidan O’Connell: The Raiders Connection Of The Future
O’Connell, a rookie himself, delivered a magnetic performance against the Chargers. Tossing four touchdowns against an AFC West rival at home—that’s the stuff of legend for Raider Nation. However, Tucker shared some interesting insight—apparently, the Raiders have themselves quite a leader in No. 4.
“Aidan is my guy. Sometimes, when you have a special connection off the field, it kind of boosts your connection on the field. So, I trust him; I know he trusts me. He’s a great guy; he works really hard. I can’t tell you a time I haven’t seen him being the first in the building. I’m usually one of the first people in the building, but he’s always there. I haven’t beaten him all season, so he works hard day and night. He deserves it.”
Since the Raiders’ loss to the Miami Dolphins back on November 19th, Tucker has seen 13 targets total. Prior to that, Tucker had multiple games under his belt where he got zero looks. With Bo Hardegree taking on the role of playcaller, No. 11 has seen more and more involvement. If the Raiders plan to win out these last few games, it would be prudent to keep getting him the ball and allow him to develop into a true weapon for O’Connell.
Let’s not forget about Josh McDaniels, folks.
Raiders fans likely don’t want to hear this, but Tucker being a Raider is due to Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. Initially, picking Tucker with the choice acquired in exchange for Darren Waller was a head-scratcher. If you recall, the wideout corps was rather crowded when the decision was announced, but still, Tucker is carving out his role quite nicely.
He was quick to thank McDaniels for his success thus far.
“I think it kind of started back when Josh [McDaniels] was here. For me, a great coach. He pushed me really hard. He told me I was drafted high here for a reason, and I came to play. So, just understanding that my role is what I make it, those were his exact words: ‘My role is what I make it.’”
Speaking of his “role,” Tucker flourished as a run-blocker against the Chargers, doing whatever was asked of him. As for O’Connell, he has a 74.5 passer rating (per Pro Football Focus) when he targets Tucker; maybe McDaniels and Ziegler were onto something after all, no?
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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