Breaking down the Oakland Raiders search for a No. 2 wide receiver
By Matt Holder
The Favorites
Trevor Davis
After being acquired by the team in Week 3 for a sixth round pick, Trevor Davis, the former Packer has made an impact with 116 total yards and a rushing touchdown. Versatility is one of Davis’ biggest strengths, and that has allowed him to be a difference maker on the Raiders offense. His 60-yard touchdown run against the Colts in Week 4 is the team’s longest play of the year.
Gruden clearly believes in the local product because when Williams missed time in week five, the coach gave Davis reps as the number one option. The Cal product leads the team with 10.5 yards per target, so he has made the most out of the opportunity.
However, to take command over the number two role, Davis needs to become a more polished receiver.
In Green Bay, Davis’ impact was primarily in the return game. While he possesses plenty of speed, he leaves something to be desired as a route runner. This is part of the reason the Packers dealt the young wideout, and he will need to have more consistent production as a receiver, if he’s going to take over behind Williams.
Zay Jones
Going back to his days at Eastern Carolina, Jones has been known as an athletic freak, as evidenced by the internet breaking move seen below. The question is, can he use that athleticism to become an offensive weapon?
https://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/1181372800520601600
After racking up 968 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in his first two seasons with Buffalo, it looked like the freak of nature would blossom into a legitimate weapon. Despite a strong sophomore campaign in 2018, Jones only started two out of five games this year before the Bills shipped him away.
Given the team that drafted the Eastern Carolina product was willing to move on from him, suggests his development as a wide receiver isn’t going as planned.
Schematically Jones does fit Gruden’s offense well as a slot receiver, so hopefully a change of scenery will help him ‘put it together’ with the Silver and Black.