NFL.com recently released starting lineup projections for all 32 teams.
Their projections for the Oakland Raiders have two former Tennessee Volunteers starting.
NFL.com has Mychal Rivera starting at tight end for the Raiders and Dan Williams as one of the team’s starting defensive tackles.
Williams spent the first five years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, before signing with the Raiders this past March.
In five seasons with the Cardinals, Williams accounted for two sacks, eight passes defensed and 156 total tackles. He also had an interception returned for a touchdown in 2013.
Rivera will be entering his third season with the Raiders in 2015. The former Vol tight end improved on his rookie numbers in 2014, catching 58 passes for 534 yards and four touchdowns (38 recptions for 407 yars and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2013).
NFL.com, however, notes that rookie Clive Walford could eat into Rivera’s playing time.
Rivera is more of a pass catching tight end (he’s not known as a good blocker at all), while Walford is more well rounded as a tight end.
If Rivera hopes to keep his starting spot all season, he’ll have to prove his value as a pass catching tight end. He showed some improvement last season, but he’ll have to develop even further — in his third season — to keep Walford at bay.