The Las Vegas Raiders needed to retool their offense after a great 2020 and here are the grades for their offensive free-agent additions.
The Las Vegas Raiders had one of the better offenses in the NFL last season by most statistical measures. The Raiders finished 10th in total points, 8th in yards, and were 6th and 3rd in conversions on 3rd and 4th down respectively.
They did so behind a 7th ranked passing offense and 14th ranked rushing offense that thrived off the play of Derek Carr protected by a solid offensive line. That same offensive line was missing key starters for most of the year and has been the talk of the Raiders offseason so far as 3 of the 5 starters from Week 1 are no longer part of the team.
Other key contributors from 2020 such as Nelson Agholor and Devontae Booker have moved on to other teams after one-year deals were up and they proved they can still play at a high level in the NFL. The Raiders were suddenly tasked with replacing more than half of their offensive line and two players that combined for 1,400 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns.
They have done an admirable job so far in free agency and there will be surely more to come but here are the grades for the moves they have made in week one of free agency.
Las Vegas Raiders: Grading offensive free agent additions
John Brown – Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills
The Raiders needed to replace the production of Nelson Agholor after his cameo appearance in Silver and Black and they appear to have done just that with the addition of John Brown. Brown has been a number one receiver in his career and has been a very productive player at every stop throughout his career.
Drafted in the third round in 2014 by Arizona, Brown made an instant impact in his rookie season with nearly 700 yards and 5 touchdowns and had his first 1,000-yard season in 2015. He continued his high production when healthy with Arizona, did the same in Baltimore in 2018 as their number one target, and had another 1,000-yard season with Buffalo in 2019.
Brown has a slighter build than Nelson Agholor at 5’11, 180lbs but he is faster than the former Raider and can provide yet another deep threat for Derek Carr. He has posted a career yard per reception average of 14.8 which is more than 2 yards more than Agholor’s career average of 12.5 though he did post an absurd 18.7 in 2020.
The takeaway from this signing is that the Raiders hope to see much more from Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards but the addition of John Brown gives the group a lift and takes some of the pressure off those two youngsters. They will still be expected to produce but having a veteran like Brown in the mix that can still take the top off defenses should be a massive boost for the offense.
Perhaps the best part of the deal is the value as Brown signed a 1-year $3.75 million deal which could be worth up to $5 million in incentives. The Raiders have plenty of needs on defense and along the offensive line so signing a potential number one receiver for a figure that low is a huge win for the organization and gives Brown a platform to earn a larger deal next offseason.
Grade: A
Las Vegas Raiders: Grading offensive free agent additions
Denzelle Good – Offensive Guard/Tackle, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders made most of their headlines so far this offseason with their moves along the offensive line. Reports that center Rodney Hudson and guard Gabe Jackson would be released came out but both players were eventually traded for third and fifth-round picks respectively so the Raiders were able to get some compensation for their departure.
With the release of two starters, reports around Denzelle Good and what his future would begin to come out and he was reportedly unhappy with what the Raiders were offering him. Perhaps the turnaround came when he was offered a chance to start and a contract of two years, $8.36 million was agreed to by both parties.
Good was one of the MVPs of the offense last year as he stepped in to play both tackle and guard and it’s that versatility that makes him especially valuable to the Raiders. He earned a 56.7 PFF grade in 14 starts last year but that may improve if he can focus on a position rather than jumping around.
The offensive line picture is still unclear as to who will play what position but the Raiders are slowly patching the massive holes left by the trade of 3 of their starters from Week 1 of 2020. Keeping Denzelle Good around for another couple of years is a big step and keeps some continuity which is important as well.
Grade: A
Las Vegas Raiders: Grading offensive free agent additions
Richie Incognito – Offensive Guard, Las Vegas Raiders
Richie Incognito played in two games in 2020 for a grand total of 74 snaps before he suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury. There was constant talk throughout the season that he could make his return but he never played another snap after Week 2. His injury was not as serious as once believed and by all accounts, he is ready and raring to go in 2021.
Incognito appears to be repaying the faith the Raiders had in him by signing him in 2019 after he was out of football for a year and agreed, after being cut on March 9th, to a one-year deal worth up to $2.62 million, including $1.1M guaranteed. This move saved the Raiders around $3 million which can be used to improve their defense, particularly the defensive line.
The question now for Incognito becomes if a soon-to-be 38-year-old guard can hold up for a full season or if the 2020 season was a sign of things to come. Second-year guard John Simpson is waiting in the wings if Incognito is unable to play but the veteran was excellent in limited snaps and there was a considerable drop-off when he was out.
If Incognito can be the same player he was in a small sample size in 2020 or the player he was over 12 games in 2019, this deal could be a bargain. Of course, if he is hurt again and misses time then at least his cap hit has been significantly reduced.
Grade: B
Las Vegas Raiders: Grading offensive free agent additions
Zay Jones – Wide Receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
Zay Jones is back for another go with the Raiders as he agreed to return to the team for a third year after being traded from Buffalo midseason in 2019. There was talk about Jones building great chemistry with Derek Carr during the 2020 offseason after moving to Las Vegas early but that did not translate to much on-field production.
Jones was active in all 16 games and on the field for 289 offensive snaps but only had 14 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown. He was similarly unproductive in 2019 despite getting nearly 500 snaps on offense.
The positives to this move are obvious, Jones has been in the system for two years now and there will be no learning curve for him. He can be plugged into the different receiver positions in case of injury and does have chemistry with Carr despite his lack of production.
There is however little upside to this move and perhaps the Raiders can find a diamond in the rough through free agency or an undrafted free agent come April that can match Jones’s production. Jones also does not play special teams so he is occupying a roster spot for little return but there is also no guarantee he is on the final roster come September.
Grade: C-
Las Vegas Raiders: Grading offensive free agent additions
Kenyan Drake – Running Back, Arizona Cardinals
In another surprising move, the Raiders brought in former Arizona Cardinal Kenyan Drake to bolster their backfield. After a slow start to his career in Miami, Drake exploded onto the scene after being traded to Arizona in 2019 and followed that up with a strong campaign in 2020.
The move is surprising because we did not expect the Raiders to spend any significant money on a running back this offseason considering they have Josh Jacobs on the roster and have plenty of other needs. Instead, they plan to sign Drake to a two-year, $14.5 million deal with $11 million of it guaranteed.
This decision flies in the face of conventional wisdom in today’s NFL but Jon Gruden has always been about doing things his own way. Drake now pairs with Josh Jacobs to form one of the more talented backfields in the NFL and gives the Raiders and Derek Carr another weapon. Gruden reportedly plans to deploy Drake in the “joker” role he planned for Lynn Bowden but that never came to fruition.
Bringing in Drake could prove a shrewd move if he could combine with Jacobs the way Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt have in Cleveland and take more pressure off Derek Carr’s shoulders. Drake is a versatile back that is a proven starter in the league and should relieve some of the wear and tear from Jacobs.
The issue is that this seems like an overpay in an NFL where running backs are constantly devalued and considering the other needs on the roster. Perhaps the fact that no receiver on the roster is making more than $5 million in base salary helped the Raiders justify the move. There are considerable downsides to this but plenty of upside as well if Drake is as explosive in Las Vegas as he was in Arizona.