The talk has been that Derek Carr needs a true WR1 to put more notches in the win column for the Las Vegas Raiders, and he got one on Thursday.
If the goal for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden was to come out of the this year’s draft faster, more athletic, and dynamic on offense than that mission was accomplished. In 2019, the then-Oakland Raiders offense struggled to finish drives and score points. Often they would go through scoreless droughts of football. None more critical than in Weeks 12 through 15.
Right square in the thick of the playoff hunt, the Raiders were only able to score a measly nine points combined in the second half of the next four games, each resulting in embarrassing defeats. Much of the blame was placed on the shoulders of quarterback Derek Carr, the team’s sixth-year starter.
Fair or not, he is the quarterback of the team, and it is the case with the position he plays when things are going well you receive the praise, and when things are failing, you shoulder the blame.
Throughout the offseason, we once again heard rumblings that the team could move on from the signal-caller. First, it was the rumored interest in six-time Super Bowl-winning Tom Brady, then as the draft approached, inevitably it was the talks about the Raiders adding a quarterback.
None of which came to fruition.
Instead, Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden decide to go all-in on Derek Carr and surround him with the best cast of talent he has had since being drafted by the team in 2014.
It must be nice for Carr to have a feeling of trust and faith from his head coach, but with the vote of confidence, and added weaponry, comes the pressure to perform. Not to mention there is now a viable threat at back up quarterback. Even Carr’s most loyal supporters must admit that the time for excuses has now expired.
There’s no denying that Carr had very little help besides Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller last season but that is no longer the case. Mayock and Gruden made it very clear that getting their quarterback surrounded by talent was objective number one this offseason.
Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is a dynamic, explosive, playmaker, and he immediately gives Carr a legitimate threat that will demand the attention of opposing defensive coordinators. The Raiders had their pick of the litter in terms of the wideout position, and Gruden and Mayock felt Ruggs’ game-breaking speed fits with what they want to build on offense.
If that wasn’t enough, with back-to-back picks in round three, selections No. 80 and 81, they added two more options for Carr.
First, the drafted Ketucky’s Lynn Bowden Jr, one of the most versatile players in all of college football who will be used primarily as a running back but I’d expect his role to expand into a pass catcher as well. Bowden was a first team All-American, and was awarded the Paul Hornung Award, given to college football’s most versatile player. The combo of Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, and Lynn Bowden is down right scary.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, South Carolina receiver Bryan Edwards fell to the Raiders at pick 81. If it wasn’t for some concerns with injuries, including one that kept him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine, Edwards may have heard his name called a round earlier.
Edwards is the perfect compliment to the speedy Ruggs. A big, physical receiver, Edwards excels at 50/50 balls and catches in traffic. When you combine the addition of these three prospects with the signing of Nelson Agholor in free agency, the offense will have a completely different look.
While added pressure will be on Carr this season to take this offense to a higher level, you can’t let the team’s play caller, Jon Gruden off the hook either. At the end of the day it will be his responsibility to find creative ways to utilize the plethora of talent now at his disposal.
One thing is for certain, on paper the offense looks to be much improved and should not have a problem scoring points. Raider Nation is not a patient fan base and the time to take the next step is now.