Las Vegas Raiders: Offensive X-factor we can’t ignore in 2020
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders added plenty of talent on offense this offseason, but this one X-factor is one that cannot be ignored.
Last season, the then-Oakland Raiders struggled mightily to score points, especially towards the end of the season. Running back Josh Jacobs missed the final two games with his shoulder injury, and the inconsistency and revolving door at wide receiver really hurt this offense down the stretch.
This offseason, the front office made it a point to bring in more explosive people on that side of the ball, all the while keeping their offensive line in tact. That means that this Raiders offense has the potential to be one of the best in the conference, as they look to build upon a three-win improvement last season.
Quarterback Derek Carr is entering his seventh season as the starter, and his third in Jon Gruden’s offense, and he has put up solid statistics through the first two years. In 2020, he has the best assortment of weapons he has every had, including a do-everything playmaker that is the one x-factor we cannot ignore in 2020.
A do-everything at the University of Kentucky
In the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders made Lynn Bowden Jr. their first of two straight picks, selecting the do-everything playmaker from Kentucky at No. 80 overall. At Kentucky, Bowden was a standout running back and wide receiver, before moving over to quarterback when Kentucky’s first and second string signal-callers went down.
In fact, Bowden was on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best wideout and named after Raiders legend, Fred Biletnikoff. Bowden would go on to earn All-SEC honors, was named an All-American, and on this Raiders roster, he is going to be a jack-of-all-trades.
Bowden will be used in the “Joker” role, and is the one x-factor on offense that cannot be ignored during the upcoming season. If teams do not gameplan against him, he is going to hurt them in so many ways, and in our 4 bold predictions for this year’s rookie class, we had him notching a rushing, receiving, and passing touchdown in 2020.
The 2020 draft class was pretty balanced, as Mike Mayock continues to add solid, young players on both sides of the ball even outside of the first round. With the entire offensive line returning this season, there is going to be plenty of opportunities for the Raiders playmakers to get involved, and Bowden is going to be utilized in so many ways.
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Bowden was one my favorite draft picks for the Raiders this season, and I cannot wait to see how Gruden deploys him in his offense. This is a Raiders team that is going to be in the playoff race this upcoming season, and in Bowden, you can expect him to line up all over the field, finding a way to make his presence felt.