How free agency impacts each Las Vegas Raiders position group
By Matt Holder
Wide Receivers
One of the worst kept secrets in the NFL world is that the Silver and Black need a true number one wide receiver. The free-agent market was lacking in this department as A.J. Green and former Raider Amari Cooper were the only guys who really fit what the organization was looking for. Green was franchise tagged almost immediately and on the same day, Cooper received 100 million reasons to stay in Dallas, so neither of those two were really available anyway.
Las Vegas did add one wideout on the open market in Nelson Agholor. While the former Eagle doesn’t solve the team’s biggest need, he does provide some solid depth to a position group that was worn very thin last year. Agholor is best as a slot receiver who can contribute in four-wide receiver sets and is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands…getting the ball to stick in his hands is the problem.
As far as the draft goes, it’s almost a certainty that Gruden and Mayock will spend on of their top selections on a wideout. With Arizona acquiring DeAndre Hopkins, one or both of the top wideouts, CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy could easily fall into the Raiders’ lap at pick 12. Even if the organization decides to go in a different route at first, it’s hard to envision a scenario where they don’t address the need at 19.
Tight Ends
What is probably the most surprising transaction coming from Las Vegas is the signing of Jason Witten. The soon-to-be 38-year-old spent the 2018 season in the Monday Night Football booth and had one of the worst years of his career in 2019. His signing could mean Foster Moreau won’t be ready to start the season, in which case the 16-year veteran would serve as the second tight end behind Darren Waller.
The Raiders also brought in Nick O’Leary, who will likely compete with Derek Carrier for a roster spot. However, if Moreau is healthy by September, those two will likely be nothing more than camp bodies.