Las Vegas Raiders: Is offense now a priority at pick No. 17?
By Brad Weiss
With the Las Vegas Raiders releasing or losing so much talent on offense, is pick No. 17 in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft now leaning offense?
The Las Vegas Raiders went into the legal tampering period with some issues on the defensive side of the ball, as they needed to add playmakers at all three levels. They did bring in elite talent on Monday, agreeing with Yannick Ngakoue, but all the good feelings from that went away really fast on Tuesday.
Tuesday was when the team announced they would be releasing Rodney Hudson per his request, leaving the team even more decimated up front along the offensive line. As we inch closer to April’s draft, we really have to start asking ourselves the question: Do the Raiders go offense with pick No. 17?
Raiders could no go offense at pick No. 17
A few weeks back, we looked at the pros and cons of selecting Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle at pick No. 17, a player who could team with his former teammate in Henry Ruggs to give the Raiders a solid 1-2 punch atop the depth chart. With Nelson Agholor heading to New England, there are now questions about the depth at wideout, and Waddle would be an absolute steal that late in round one.
Then there is the issue upfront along the offensive line, where four starters from Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season are now gone. Rodney Hudson being released was a shocking blow for this Raiders team, as he was not only an elite center, but one of the best players on their team, and replacing him will not be easy.
Overall, the Raiders are in the middle of a head-scratching start to the 2021 offseason, and the hope is that Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have a plan. As it stands now, this is a team that has a ton of holes on both sides of the ball, making this a very tenuous time to be a Raiders fan.
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For a team who looked destined for a near-All-Defense 2021 NFL Draft, the offense is starting to have just as many question marks. It will be interesting to see what the next few days bring for the Raiders, but one thing is for sure, as we enter the new league year, there are more questions than answers on this roster.