The Raiders kept stacking role players Friday, signing fullback Connor Heyward and wide receiver Dareke Young as unrestricted free agents. The additions are not splashy, but they are loud in the places coaches care about most: physicality, versatility and the hidden-yardage game.
The team announced the moves Friday afternoon. Heyward arrives from Pittsburgh with four seasons of NFL wear and a job description that reads like three positions packed into one. Young comes over from Seattle with size and special teams production, plus the kind of resume that fits the bottom half of a game day roster.
Heyward is not here to pick a lane
Heyward, 27, has appeared in 68 games with 14 starts in his career, working as a tight end, backfield piece and core special teamer. The Raiders listed him with 44 receptions for 379 yards and three receiving touchdowns, plus 18 carries for 70 yards and two rushing scores.
“Once coach (new head coach Klint Kubiak) called me and we got on the phone, he talked about how he could use me and how I could help this team,” Heyward said. “We talked about offense and special teams, because I know what it takes to be a fullback in this league, and you obviously have to be a dominant special teams player as well.”
That is the key with Heyward. He is not selling himself as a niche blocker. He is selling problem-solving.
“I think you’ve got to have a guy that can do a little bit of everything, run routes, block,” Heyward said. “I just feel like my skill set matches up with the fullback position the best.”
Leaving Pittsburgh, keeping the edge
Heyward did not sugarcoat what it meant to leave the Steelers, and to leave his brother, longtime Pittsburgh defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. He called it “so hard,” then explained why he still did it.
“My mom was really pushing me,” Heyward said. “She was like, ‘It’s time for you to do your own thing.’”
He said the change has already felt real in a good way.
“This is out of my comfort zone, and I already feel so comfortable here,” Heyward said. “This whole facility, you don’t want to leave here.”
A fullback with Raiders history in mind
Heyward knows where he landed. The Raiders have always valued players who block, catch and do the dirty work without needing a spotlight. He leaned into that reality when asked about the position’s place in modern football.
“If you’re a fullback, you know what comes with that,” Heyward said. “You know you’ve got to be selfless.”
He also framed the job the way coaches do: details first, then violence.
“Obviously, it starts with the run game, so you have to be physical,” Heyward said. “You’ve got to know who you’ve got, know the ID, Mike ID, see where you fit each play.”
And if the ball is not coming his way, he is fine with that.
“Finish a block, because that’s what’s going to spring the long runs, long passes,” Heyward said. “It’s about being selfless and playing without the ball as well.”
Dareke Young is here for the parts fans do not clip
Young, 26, is built like a coverage guy disguised as a receiver. The Raiders listed him at 6-foot-2 and 224 pounds, and said he spent the last four seasons with the Seahawks.
His offensive numbers are light so far, but his special teams production is the point. The Raiders noted that in 2025 he handled 10 kickoff returns for 322 yards, a 32.2-yard average. For a team that has been hunting field position, that matters, especially early in a rebuild when points can be scarce and margins decide games.
What Friday’s moves really say
The Raiders have already made louder additions this week. Friday was about the glue. Heyward gives the offense a tougher edge and a flexible piece who can help the run game and cover kicks. Young gives special teams a player who has done the work on Sundays, not just talked about it in March.
For a team trying to change its identity fast, that is the right kind of boring. It is functional, physical and built to travel.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
