Tre Tucker ran a go-route, first turning to his right and then adjusting to his left. He tracked the ball, thanks to modern science, as he jumped to make a spectacular catch.
Tucker had Lasik eye surgery during the offseason to improve his performance for the Raiders. His 44-yard catch in a 24-23 preseason loss at Minnesota came on a third-and-11 and led to a short touchdown run.
Such plays are typical for Tucker. Las Vegas drafted him in the third round from Cincinnati last year due to his 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed, and he averaged a team-high 17.4 yards per catch as a rookie.
This season, the Raiders want him to be more versatile, so Tucker has been working on all aspects of his game to compete for a starting spot alongside Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers.
Adams said, “The first thing Tre did that was probably the smartest thing he’s ever done was get Lasik eye surgery.”
Adams noted, “When he did that, you can tell he’s a lot more confident catching the ball. Playing that position, that has to be something that’s not even on your mind. You just think about making the play, not, ‘Hopefully, I’ll catch this ball.’”
Adams observed, “You can feel a person’s confidence as they progress and get better at a specific part of their game. To watch the evolution of him and to know his mentality and his aim going out there, he’s a very driven young player. He’s doing all the things right now.”
Tucker has an advantage for the third spot and has had extra playing time with Adams missing part of training camp and the preseason opener due to the birth of his third child and first son.
Adams, 31, sees Tucker, eight years younger, as an extended family member. He said, “I feel like I’ve got a son on the team in the most brotherly way. Going into Year 2 and going into Year 11, we’ve got a little experience gap. I’d love nothing more here but to help anybody, but especially that kid.”
