Las Vegas Raiders wideout Tre Tucker is seeing steady growth from rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who continues to improve every time he takes the field.
Tucker offered praise for Mendoza after working with him in last week’s joint practice against the Houston Texans. “He gets better every time he goes out there,” Tucker said. “It was really cool to kind of see him command the offense.”
Tucker also addressed the team’s day-to-day approach at this stage of camp. “We come to work and do our job every day,” he said. “We obviously have a lot of room for improvement.” He added that the group is focused on incremental, day-by-day progress, per Jesse Merrick of Silver & Black Sports Network.
It’s more than just words from Tre Tucker…
His comments carry weight for the Raiders beyond a standard camp quote. As the presumptive WR1, his read on Mendoza’s command in a competitive, outside setting is a real evaluation point. It’s not just coach speak from within the building. Mendoza’s rapport with his top receiver matters directly for the QB competition behind Kirk Cousins, and it matters for how the offense is built around him if he eventually takes over.
Related: Andrew Janocko opens up about joint practice vs. Texans
Tucker’s own workload and route tree are also tied to whichever quarterback is throwing him the ball, so his comfort level with Mendoza is worth tracking as the Raiders finalize their offensive identity under Andrew Janocko heading into final roster cuts.
The Mendoza-to-Tucker connection could possibly get more run in the final preseason game, with Janocko likely using it as a proof point in the ongoing evaluation of the quarterback room.
Does Tre Tucker’s endorsement change how you view the Kirk Cousins to Fernando Mendoza timeline?
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images