NEW ORLEANS, La. – Mychal Rivera was the Raiders’ starting tight end not too long ago. He made 10 starts in 2014, a season where he had 534 yards and four touchdowns.
That seems so long ago now. The Raiders have upgraded at most spots, including tight end. Clive Walford is a versatile talent poised for a breakout year and Lee Smith is a solid blocker, leaving Rivera as the No. 3 option.
That apparently isn’t good enough to play on Sundays. Rivera was a healthy inactive before Sunday’s regular-season opener at New Orleans.
Rivera and cornerback Dexter McDonald were among the surprise scratches on the inactive list.