3 worst contracts for the Las Vegas Raiders for the 2021 season
No. 3: Clelin Ferrell, Defensive Line
We start with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the first of three first-round picks for the Raiders during that draft season. When he was selected, Clelin Ferrell was seen as a bit of a stretch, considering the Raiders needed a pass-rusher, and the second-best player of that skill set was still on the board in Josh Allen.
However, he was the choice for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden, and since becoming a Raider, he has not been able to get after the quarterback consistently. In fact, with Yannick Ngakoue joining the team, and the rise of Maxx Crosby, Ferrell is likely to move inside on pass-rushing scenarios, which is not what this team expected when they made him the fourth overall pick.
Looking at his contract, the Raiders are paying a ton of money for a player who is not going to be a starter entering his third season in the NFL. Sure, he is a good player, who is solid against the run, but he is being paid to put up double-digit sacks a season, and with a ton of dead cap money if the team moves on from him, Ferrell is in a make-or-break season with the team in 2021.