The Oakland Raiders have a ton of weapons on the outside this season, and the group as a whole has a chance to be very special in 2019.
To kick off their 2019 offseason, the Oakland Raiders swung a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. Originally, the Steelers wanted two first round draft picks for Brown, which the Raiders actually had, but first-year general manager Mike Mayock was not having any of that.
After the Steelers dropped their asking price to one first rounder, Mayock still did not budge, and ended up sending a third and fifth round pick to the Steelers for Brown. That move began an offseason that saw the Raiders completely revamp their wide receiver group, which has the opportunity to be very special in 2019.
Head coach Jon Gruden is an offensive genius, and the weapons he goes into the summer with are some of the best he has had in his coaching career. Brown is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and the cast he has behind him should more than exceed expectations for the Raiders this upcoming season.
Tyrell Williams is a special talent, and is on the verge of becoming a Pro Bowl quality wide receiver. With Brown on the other side of him, Williams will have the ability to really take advantage of some good situations within the Raiders offense this Fall, and he certainly has the skill set to be a 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL, something he accomplished back in 2016 with the then-San Diego Chargers.
In the slot, Hunter Renfrow just does not drop the football, and he is the perfect weapon to compliment a tandem of Williams and Brown on the outside. Gruden loves to work the slot, and Renfrow has the hands to make the tough plays. This is a trio that could be the best in the AFC West in 2019.
J.J. Nelson was also added as a free agent, and he has the speed to get behind the defense on any occasion. Keelan Doss has turned heads as an undrafted rookie this spring, and guys like Marcell Ateman and Ryan Grant will have every opportunity to make this team out of camp as well.
For Derek Carr, the 2019 season will be another opportunity for him to show that he is the right guy to lead this team as they head to Las Vegas. He has already proven he can play at a very high level in the NFL, and with this group to throw to in 2019, look for him to have his best season as a pro this season.