This offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders added a handful of rookies who are expected to make a big impact during the season, but which players will be the most important?
The Las Vegas Raiders have been busy retooling their roster this offseason. It started in Free Agency when the organization shelled out some cash for a few of the biggest names on the market. Then, general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden went on to add seven players through the draft, the majority of whom will be significant contributors during the regular season.
Out of all the rookies, there are about three or four who have a legitimate chance to be Week One starters this season. The rest of the group still projects to play significant roles for the Silver and Black in 2020, meaning the team will be relying on a lot of young talent.
With so many newcomers at the helm, it begs the question of which ones are the most important?
Of course, every player on the roster is important and this isn’t too say that the others are insignificant, but some rookies will bear more weight on their shoulders than others. Here is a look at who I think the Raiders’ three most important rookies will be this season, ranked in order.
Damon Arnette
The recent addition of Prince Amukamara certainly takes some pressure off Damon Arnette’s shoulders. Amukamara brings a veteran presence to an extremely young position group for the Silver and Black, and he is only a year removed from an impressive campaign where he allowed a mere 6.8 yards per target and a 75.3 passer rating. However, the former Bear is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off down season.
That leaves the door open for Arnette to take over the starting spot early, which could mean Amukamara is left off the 53-man roster. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the nine-year veteran’s contract carries a Week One roster bonus that obviously, the Raiders would save if he fails to make the squad. Granted, the salary cap savings would be relatively small – only $837,500 per OverTheCap.com – but the question arises of why the organization would include the incentive if he’s a lock to make the roster?
If the rookie does take command of position early on and the veteran is let go, that leaves Las Vegas with one cornerback, Nevin Lawson, who has starting experience behind him. Given that Lawson is suspended to start the year and has never been more than an average player, he’s no guarantee to make the roster either. This means Arnette would be leading a group of inexperienced/unproven players at one of the most important defensive positions.
Even if Amukara does take control of the starting spot early on, the first-round pick will still play an important role on the defense. The AFC West is rather deep at wide receiver with Mike Williams, Mecole Hardman, and Jerry Jeudy serving as number two options, meaning the Raiders will need multiple defensive backs to step up to be competitive in the division.
Also, Las Vegas will play New Orleans, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland this season, all of whom have at least two wideouts who can wreak havoc on opposing defenses. In other words, whether he’s the second or third corner on the roster, Arnette will play a vital role in 2020.
Henry Ruggs III
One of the biggest struggles of the Gruden 2.0 era has been finding a true number one wide receiver. Amari Cooper didn’t seem to be a fit in the offense before being traded to the Cowboys, and then there was the Antonio Brown fiasco. As a result, the Silver and Black have ranked 28th and 24th in points per game the last two seasons, and tight ends have led the team in just about every major statistical category.
This is why the organization spent its first selection in the draft on Henry Ruggs. The rookie will walk in on day one as Las Vegas’ most talented wideout and is projected to take over the aforementioned number one role for the team. While the offense’s success doesn’t fall squarely on his shoulders, the Alabama product’s performance will go a long way towards improving the Raiders’ standing in the points per game category.
As far as justifying Arnette’s importance over Ruggs’, depth at the position was ultimately the deciding factor for me. If for some reason the latter doesn’t pan out or stumbles out of the gate, the offense has veterans Tyrell Williams, Nelson Agholor, and maybe Zay Jones to serve as insurance policies.
Both Williams and Agholor have put together a handful of productive seasons in the past, suggesting that they can be serviceable options in a pinch, and I’m not comfortable saying that about the reserve cornerbacks.
Tanner Muse
It has been years since the Raiders have had a decent linebacking corps, especially when it comes to coverage. Tight ends and running backs have run-rampant on the team’s defense in the passing game recently, and addressing the position was one of Gruden and Mayock’s top priorities this offseason. The additions of Free Agents Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski will certainly help improve the team improve in that realm, however, depth at the second level still needed to be addressed.
Hence why the organization spent a third-round pick on Tanner Muse. The rookie is expected to compete for playing time with veterans, Nicholas Morrow and Marquel Lee. Muse has one distinct advantage that I think will give him a leg up over the two vets, coverage.
Last season, Morrow had a chance to carve out a niche as a coverage linebacker but he floundered, allowing a passer rating of 97.1 and 10.2 yards per target, while also recording one of the worst PFF coverage grades at the position. Lee, on the other hand, has never really been known for his ability to affect the passing game, making him a bit of a liability in today’s version of the NFL.
The Clemson product played a hybrid role in college, taking snaps at linebacker, safety, and slot corner, which should help him become an effective coverage linebacker at the next level.
He also has an impressive athletic profile, recording a relative athletic score of 9.95 during the pre-draft process, further suggesting he can help solve Las Vegas’ long-standing defensive deficiency. Muse can easily take over the Silver and Black’s third linebacker spot this season, a role that will become even more important if Littleton or Kwiatkoski go down.