The NFL free agent class has Jermaine Gresham as one of the top players left available and he could be a potential target for the Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, but teams might be wary of signing him now, as reports have Gresham needing back surgery this offseason.
Gresham previously was with the Cincinnati Bengals and early in the offseason it appeared that a deal with the Raiders was going to get done. According to Pro Football Talk, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports that Gresham is dealing with a back injury and will undergo surgery this week, which should mean he will be ready for training camp in the summer. The surgery could keep Gresham from signing with a team for a while, but there is a chance a team signs him before the summer despite the surgery.
The Raiders have Mychal Rivera, but they have been interested in adding another tight end for depth and to give Derek Carr another short range weapon. Gresham comes into the offseason after making 62 catches for 460 yards in 15 games last season with five touchdowns, but the Bengals were not interested in bringing him back after five years.
The Buffalo Bills were considered a potential option, but the team just gave Charles Clay an offer sheet and likely will be able to sign him. The Dolphins have money to spend, but after signing Ndamukong Suh and making other moves, they may not be able to match the offer by the Bills. The team gave themselves some insurance by signing Jordan Cameron from the Browns and that is one reason why Cleveland could be interested in Gresham.
Gresham has size and athletic ability and now his biggest issue will be proving to teams that he can come back healthy from surgery. Gresham is going to have surgery for a herniated disk and while reports say that he could be healthy and ready for training camp, he may not sign until that happens. Some teams could wait and see how Gresham recovers and that means he could remain on the market until the summer. Gresham is 6'5 and has shown he can be a strong receiver and blocker, but his injury puts a dent in getting things going for 2015.
The Raiders looked like they were in the process of signing Gresham earlier in the offseason, but it's likely the injury news stopped that from happening. The Raiders could remain in the mix for Gresham depending on how things develop, as they have Mychal Rivera and like him, but they also want some depth at the position for Derek Carr. Gresham had 52 catches his rookie season for 471 yards and during the course of his career he has never missed more than two games.
Gresham has missed three games over the past two years and his best season came in 2012 when he played in all 16 games, scoring five touchdowns. Gresham had 62 catches last season and that was the most for him since 2012 and his second highest total in his career. The Bengals feel comfortable with Tyler Eifert and will not be bringing back Gresham.
