Las Vegas Raiders Coaching Staff: Frank Smith, Tight Ends
We’re all counting down the clock until football is back. Recently, I previewed this season’s upcoming matchups for the Raiders. Now, it’s time to get to know the coaches.
In this series, we’ll profile every Raiders position coach, coordinator, and head coach. We’ll continue meeting the offensive personnel. Today, we profile tight ends coach, Frank Smith.
Frank Smith, Tight Ends Coach
Frank Smith enters his third season with the Raiders and has 10 years of NFL experience under his belt.
In 2018, Smith helped tight end Jared Cook get selected to his first Pro Bowl selection after he set career highs with 68 receptions for just under 900 yards and six touchdowns. Cook had an exceptional year, including four 100-yard receiving contests, starting with an 180-yard game in Week 1. Cook finished ranked fourth among all tight ends in receiving yards that season.
Additionally, in 2018, Smith’s tight ends scored 10 of the 19 receiving touchdowns.
Before arriving at the Raiders, he served for three years for the Chicago Bears as their tight ends coach.
In Chicago, he helped mentor rookie tight end Adam Shaheen, who appeared in 13 games and scored three touchdowns.
In 2016, he helped tight end Zach Miller set career highs in receptions (47) and receiving yards (486).
Additionally, before joining the Bears, Smith served as an offensive assistant for five years with the New Orleans Saints. He gained experience working with an offensive line that allowed 143 sacks, which was the third-fewest in the NFL during that period, during his tenure.
Smith is now tasked with helping quarterback Derek Carr utilize his tight ends better on the field with veteran newcomer Jason Witten and Darren Waller, who averaged 12.7 yards per reception and scored three touchdowns last season.
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