Raiders’ Foster Moreau healthy again after tearing ACL
Raiders tight end Foster Moreau began conceiving celebration ideas Friday with fullback Alec Ingold during the team’s practice at Allegiant Stadium.
“He has those huge spikes,” Ingold said Monday. “I’m sure you’ll be able to see a few of those this year.”
Perhaps now that Moreau is healthy.
The 23-year-old has recovered from a torn ACL that cost him the final month of the 2019 season and stymied an impressive rookie campaign. At 6 feet 4 inches and 250 pounds, he gives quarterback Derek Carr another viable receiving option at tight end opposite Darren Waller in what figures to be a more explosive offense.
“We’ve really made great jumps, great leaps,” said Moreau, who was cleared at the beginning of the month to practice. “It’s kind of a difficult offense to wrap your head around. A lot of verbiage. But I think guys have really done a good job picking up on things, and we’re flying around the field.”
Moreau played at Louisiana State and was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. He played a secondary role as a rookie — logging action in 36 percent of the snaps — but emerged as a threat in the red zone, catching five touchdowns from an area of the field in which the Raiders struggled.
He injured his knee during a 42-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 8.
The rehabilitation, he said, was challenging with the absence of teammates and staff amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The guidance (wasn’t) really there every day,” said Moreau, who had 174 receiving yards along with the five scores. “I kind of had to spend a lot of hours alone, kind of doing it myself. Self-monitoring how my recovery was supposed to go. … It was tough, but I feel great and I’m ready to go.”
Moreau said informal workouts organized by Carr this summer at Olympia Sports Park helped him feel healthy and find his footing again. He doesn’t have any particular goals this season, preferring instead to “focus on the now and the present.”
“I think that’s the best way for me to live my life,” Moreau said.
Raiders add defensive lineman
The Raiders signed defensive lineman Chris Smith, 28, to a one-year contract. He played nine games for the Cleveland Browns last season, recording one tackle.
The Browns released him in December.
Smith was selected by Jacksonville in the fifth-round of the 2014 draft and has played six seasons for the Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals and Browns. The Carolina Panthers signed him in March but cut him last month.
He has 67 career tackles and 8½ sacks.
No place like home
Moreau and Ingold touted the stadium Monday after the team practiced there Friday.
“It was beautiful,” Moreau said. “I don’t want to hate on anything, but it’s certainly an upgrade, definitely, because we’ve got climate control. We’ve got a bunch of different things in there. … The field turf is phenomenal, and that’s something we’re all looking forward to.”
Ingold said the stadium is “unreal.”
“I’m sure we’ll be back,” he said. “It’ll be good to get there one time and then roll through another time.”
Schedule change
The Raiders canceled Monday’s padded outdoor practice, opting for a closed indoor walk-through instead. Wednesday’s practice was supposed to be closed, but now will be open to the media.
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.