Raiders TE Austin Hooper on His Role With the Team

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Austin Hooper has been one of the biggest off-season signings for the Las Vegas Raiders this year.

Hooper might not be able to replicate the dominance Darren Waller did in his prime years with the Silver and Black. Still, he believes his versatility will make him successful and valuable in the Raiders' offense.

"My super light understanding -- until I get to OTAs, this is really just speculation based off what they're kind of saying -- just the ability to play in line, in the slot, be the Y, be the F, whatever, wherever, however they need me to line up," Hooper said on Thursday's edition of The Jim Rome Show. "Just kind of like my versatility's been my biggest strength since I've been in the league. So they're just going to give me the opportunity to do a bunch of different things, whether it be in line, in the slot, outside the numbers, run game, pass game, just understanding the playbook, get ready to go."

Hooper understands he can be effective without the ball as well, and at the end of the day, what matters to him is "how good of a teammate you can be."

"I mean, obviously, if you're any kind of pass-catcher or, of course, the game's name is to get as many catches as possible, but it's not the ultimate goal," he said. "Like as a tight end, if you can be a part of a 150-, 200-yard rushing game, that means you're an active participate in the run game. You weren't just backside cut-offs or something, like you're actually in it, throwing hat, creating space for the running back. So that's something I definitely take pride in, and that's one of the times where it's like ... 'You may not get involved that way, but you can get involved and help the team this way.'"

The 2023 NFL Draft will go from April 27-29 and be held at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period began at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15.

The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this offseason.

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