Raiders report: Rookie flashes talent on 1st career touch

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tre Tucker started to get excited as soon as he heard the play call.

He was downright giddy when he took the handoff and saw the open space in front of him.

“I saw the opening, and I was just like, ‘Let’s run. Let’s roll,’” the rookie wide receiver said of a 34-yard run on a jet sweep on the Raiders’ first possession Sunday.

Tucker said the first touch of his NFL career was even sweeter because the Raiders capped the drive with a touchdown. His mood, however, was dampened after a 38-10 thumping by the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.

Still, it’s a play the third-round pick will always remember after he was a healthy scratch last week in the season opener. He was active Sunday with starting receiver Jakobi Meyers out because of a concussion.

Tucker took advantage of the opportunity with the third-longest rush for a Raiders player on his first career carry since 1991, trailing Jalen Richard (75 yards) and Johnny Townsend (42).

“To be out there and help is great,” Tucker said. “Just being ready when your number is called is important to me. And then when the ball is in your hands, it’s time to make a play.”

It was the kind of big-play ability the Raiders knew he possessed when they drafted him out of Cincinnati.

“He’s an explosive player,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “We’ve all seen that since we drafted him. Now he’s had the opportunity to play in his first game, and he was able to make a play on the first drive. We’d like to get him involved.”

Tucker had another chance to make a play when he got deep and came up with a catch on a go-route. But his feet were out of bounds, and a flag that had been thrown for defensive interference on the play was waved off.

He also had a critique of his long run, even though he was clocked at 21.1 mph by Next Gen Stats, the fourth-fastest time of any ball carrier in the league this season.

“It’s funny because people were teasing me that I looked a little slow, and I actually felt slow, too,” he said. “I know I have 22 or 23 in me.”

Another WR evaluated

Star receiver Davante Adams took a huge hit from Bills safety Taylor Rapp with three minutes remaining and was being evaluated for a concussion. Rapp was flagged for the hit.

McDaniels did not have an update on Adams, who finished with six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Not just a kicker

Daniel Carlson doesn’t want to make a lot of tackles, but the Pro Bowl kicker proved he’s capable.

Damien Harris broke free for a 41-yard return only to be corralled and thrown down by the 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound Carlson.

“Kicking is more fun,” he said. “I have to kick off a little better so I can set those other guys up to make tackles. Hopefully, if I have to do it, it’s only once every couple years.”

Carlson blamed himself for the return happening in the first place.

“It was short,” he said of the kick. “I would have liked it more outside. It kind of got caught up in the wind. You don’t want to give up free yards and I think it only got to the 7 (-yard line). But it happens, and I have to be a football player every once in a while.”

Silver lining

The Raiders didn’t give up a sack after not allowing one last week against Denver, marking just the second time in franchise history and first since 1977 that they have avoided a sack through two games.

They also scored a touchdown on their first drive for the second consecutive week, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat. They have the longest active streak in the NFL with points on their first drive in seven straight games.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.