The Raiders announced that they had signed potential TE Andre Hardy, late yesterday.
Hardy is very much a developmental prospect, having not played football in college. He did play basketball, for the last two years at Cal State Fullerton, as a power forward.
The Raiders will be hoping that Hardy can transition from a basketball background to be a pass catching TE, much like Antonio Gates did with the Chargers.
The Raiders already have three TEs on the roster – Brandon Myers, David Ausberry, and Richard Gordon.
Hardy is 6’5″ and 250 lbs and reportedly runs a 40 yard dash in about 4.7 seconds.
He is probably most like Ausberry, who was a WR in college. Ausberry is not considered a strong blocker and it’s likely that Hardy won’t be either, as it’s a learned skill.
Richard Gordon is primarily a blocker and Myers was drafted as a blocking TE and while he is a better receiver than initially thought, it’s not a strong suit for him.
The contract terms have not been disclosed but it is reportedly a 3 year contract. While that doesn’t mean anything unless there is guaranteed money it does indicate that they are interested in him for a longer term if he can show he has the potential to be an impact player.
For more Raiders news and analysis throughout the day, follow me on Twitter @AsherMathews
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