In the preseason for the Oakland Raiders, Clive Walford was making a name for himself as a potential big playmaker for the team. The tight end looked poised to replace Mychal Rivera as the starter has he had a knack for big plays. However, two injuries in training camp kept Walford off the field for a majority of the start of the season, but now that he is fully healthy, Derek Carr is predicting big things for the rookie.
Coming out of the bye week, Walford is expected to be a player that makes a lot noise for the Raiders. Head coach Jack Del Rio confirmed to ESPN that Walford would see more playing time in Week 7 as he continues to emerge as a top target. Walford showed glimpses of that in Week 5 when he split the defense for a 33-yard catch against the Denver Broncos. Del Rio knew the tight end would eventually breakout, but the injuries slowed his process. Carr is excited to get more use out of Walford against the San Diego Chargers.
"He knows right where to line up. He doesn't give a look every time you break the huddle. That's easier on me. When he comes in the game, we don't even worry about it. We're just excited to see the plays that he's making down the field," Carr said, via ESPN.com.
The Raiders are hoping to have a breakout game against the Chargers as Walford will help the effort. The run game is going to be big for the Raiders against San Diego as Taiwan Jones returns along with Latavius Murray. The running back had been sitting out with shoulder injuries but CBS Sacramento confirms that he is healthy and ready to help balance the offense out. Getting Jones back also adds another fold to the offense. He missed the past two games with a foot injury while having two touchdowns on the season from Carr. Both Jones and Walford could allow Carr to open the playbook more.
The return of several players will make things easier for players like Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree who have been controlling the passing game. Cooper and Crabtree have been handling opposing defenses well, but the addition of other playmakers will take pressure off them. If the Raiders can get Andre Holmes and Seth Roberts more playing time as well, things might get easier for Carr in the coming weeks.
