The Oakland Raiders Depth at Tight End During the 1970s

The Oakland Raiders experienced a good degree of glory during the 1970s, as they participated in the NFL playoffs in seven of their first eight seasons in that decade. Their offense had a lot of quality depth at several positions, most notably at the tight end position.

By the end of the 1977 season, the Raiders’ roster had tight ends such as Dave Casper, Raymond Chester, Ted Kwalick, Bob Moore, and Warren Bankston in their lineup. Each of them enjoyed a good amount of pro success in Oakland.

Dave Casper

Let’s start with the Hall of Famer of this bunch, the great Dave Casper. This Notre Dame graduate played 11 seasons in the NFL for three different teams. It was in Oakland from 1974 to 1980 where he experienced his best amount of fanfare and success. Casper helped to lead the Raiders to four straight AFC Championships from 1974 to 1977, and to a Super Bowl championship in 1976.

We can never forget Casper’s role in a pair of famous moments in Raiders history, the Ghost to the Post play in the 1977 AFC Divisional Playoffs at Baltimore, and the Holy Roller play at San Diego in 1978. Casper also played for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He finished his NFL career with 378 receptions for 5,216 yards and 52 touchdowns. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Raymond Chester

Another Oakland tight end from the 1970s who probably should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was Raymond Chester, who like Casper, also played for another team besides the Raiders. But it was in Oakland where he began his 12-year pro career back in 1970. Chester played most of his years in the era where teams did not throw the ball as much as they ran the ball.

Oakland, however, had weapons to use who were outstanding passing game personnel, and Chester was only one of them. He managed to catch 42 passes in his rookie year, then when the Raiders kept adding to their overall offensive depth, Chester’s reception numbers dropped. The Raiders had to spread the ball around, you know.

Chester was traded to Baltimore in 1975, where he helped to lead the Colts to three straight AFC Eastern Division championships. His talents were a vital cog in the Colts’ offensive machine. What set him apart from many tight ends of his era were his hands. He had a pair of the best pass-catching hands in the league. He also had the speed and the moves to get open deep.

When I interviewed him for my book on his college teammate, Willie Lanier, I remarked to him that he was Kellen Winslow before there was a Kellen Winslow. Chester finished his NFL career by catching 364 passes worth 5,013 yards and 48 touchdowns. He also returned to Oakland in 1978 and helped to lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl championship in 1980.

Ted Kwalick

Ted Kwalick was a Penn State graduate who achieved the vast majority of his NFL fame as a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. He played for the 49ers for the first six years of his pro career from 1969 to 1974. He was an All-Pro in 1972, and he played in three Pro Bowls from 1971 to 1973.

He also played for the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League in 1975. Later that season, Kwalick left the WFL and returned to Oakland, where he helped to lead the Raiders to three straight AFC Championships from 1975 to 1977, and to a world championship in Super Bowl XI in 1976.

Bob Moore & Warren Brankston

Both Bob Moore and Warren Bankston were serviceable tight ends who also played well on special teams for the Raiders. They were the type of players that every team needs if they are to succeed. Moore played for the Raiders from 1971 to 1975. He then played for Tampa Bay in 1976 and 1977, and he finished his pro career in Denver in 1978.

Warren Bankston came to the Raiders in 1973 after serving as a utility running back for four years in Pittsburgh. He switched over to tight end as soon as he got to Oakland, however, and he continued to play on special teams for the Raiders. He was a member of the Super Bowl XI Champion Oakland team in 1976.

Altogether, Casper, Chester, Kwalick, Moore and Bankston represent the type of overall depth at one position that few NFL teams have today with their larger roster number, let alone in the 1970s with their fewer roster numbers.

Trivia Question:

True or False? Dave Casper, Raymond Chester, Ted Kwalick, Bob Moore and Warren Bankston each caught at least one touchdown pass in at least one playoff game during the 1970s. Is that statement True or False?

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Host of Pro Football in the 1970s - Joe Zagorski

Throughout his days, Joe spent some time as a sportswriter and has been a member of the Pro Football Researchers Association since the mid-1980s. Joe is also a proud member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

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