Despite new veterans, Las Vegas Raiders need young WRs to step up
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders added veterans at the wide receiver position in 2021, but it will be the second-year wideouts that will be key this season.
The Las Vegas Raiders got their official 2021 NFL schedule this past week, and there are certainly some interesting matchups to take a look at. The party gets started early on, as they are in primetime in Week 1, taking on the Baltimore Ravens and their outstanding quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
For two players who were brought in via free agency this offseason, Yannick Ngakoue and Willie Snead, this is a game to circle. Ngakoue is here to help bolster a terrible pass rush from last season, while Snead’s leadership will be needed among a very young wide receiver group.
Hunter Renfrow is entering Year 3, and he has established himself as a legitimate threat in this offense, and tight end Darren Waller is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league. While Snead and John Brown are solid additions to this wide receiver group, it will be the team’s second-year wideouts that need to step up if this team is going to move in the right direction.
Raiders need big seasons from second-year WRs
The Raiders made Alabama star Henry Ruggs III their first-ever Las Vegas pick this past year, selecting him as the first wideout off the board. In his rookie year, Ruggs flashes some signs that he could be a legitimate WR1 but will have to be way more consistent if he is to be the first option at the position group moving forward.
In the third round, Las Vegas selected former South Carolina star Bryan Edwards, who was a big story heading into his rookie year. Unfortunately, he battled through injuries and inconsistent play as well but has everything you look for in a player that could eventually be a 1,000-yard guy at the next level.
Based on his size and catching abilities, Edwards should be an outstanding red-zone threat for the Raiders, giving Derek Carr another option down there in the passing game. He showed last season that he can certainly high-point the football, and hopefully he can stay healthy enough to make a real impact this upcoming season.
Brown is a guy who has had multiple 1,000-yard seasons, and we know how much Carr likes to throw to the man wearing No. 15. He and Snead should be solid contributors in 2021, but if Ruggs and Edwards reach their potential, this is going to be a special group.