The Las Vegas Raiders are having a hard time staying healthy at the end of the season. The team was without rookie second-round pick tight Michael Mayer in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs and it’s looking like he could be out longer.

The Raiders announced on December 27 that they’re signing tight end Zach Gentry to the active roster.

With Mayer still dealing with a toe injury, there was some speculation that he could be done for the season considering the Gentry signing.

However, the Raiders sent tight end Jesper Horsted to the Injured Reserve so it could be a move to replace him. Regardless, Mayer’s status is still something to keep an eye on.

Gentry first came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. He spent four seasons with the Steelers before moving on to the Cincinnati Bengals for 2023. He was on the practice squad all season before the Raiders poached him. At 6-foot-8, Gentry is a massive tight end who thrives in the blocking game.

He only has 39 catches for 303 yards in his career so he won’t be able to replace Mayer’s effectiveness in the passing game. That said, he should be an upgrade as a block if the Raiders need him to take significant snaps over the final two games of the regular season.

With their win over the Chiefs, the Raiders’ chances of making the playoffs are looking more realistic. However, they could be down two key offensive players down the stretch. Michael Mayer hasn’t been sent to Injured Reserve yet but he did not participate in the Raiders’ December 27 practice. Considering he missed the Chiefs game, there’s a good chance he’ll be out in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Running back Josh Jacobs was also out against the Chiefs and was not practicing with the team. He also missed Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers with a quad injury. The Raiders haven’t put him on Injured Reserve yet which likely means they think he can return but it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready for the Colts. He may not be back until Week 18 against the Denver Broncos.

With their win over the Chiefs, the Raiders’ chances of making the playoffs are looking more realistic. However, they could be down two key offensive players down the stretch. Michael Mayer hasn’t been sent to Injured Reserve yet but he did not participate in the Raiders’ December 27 practice. Considering he missed the Chiefs game, there’s a good chance he’ll be out in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Running back Josh Jacobs was also out against the Chiefs and was not practicing with the team. He also missed Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers with a quad injury. The Raiders haven’t put him on Injured Reserve yet which likely means they think he can return but it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready for the Colts. He may not be back until Week 18 against the Denver Broncos.

In other news, left tackle Kolton Miller was a limited participant in practice so he’s getting closer to returning to his starting duties. He played against the Chiefs but didn’t make the start.

The Raiders have won two straight games and look like one of the hottest teams in the NFL but they have some tough matchups to end the season. The Colts have been one of the big surprises in the NFL and are 8-7. They are one of the teams ahead of the Raiders for one of the AFC Wild Card playoff spots.

If Las Vegas has any hope of making the playoffs, they need to beat the Colts. Indianapolis is coming off a brutal 29-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Gardner Minshew has kept the team afloat this season but he’s wildly inconsistent. The Raiders defense is playing at a very high level right now and should cause issues for Minshew. Las Vegas is facing two backup quarterbacks to finish the season so running the table isn’t impossible.