Las Vegas Raiders banking on big second season from Henry Ruggs III
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders granted John Brown his release during the cut-down, giving Henry Ruggs III the clear chance to be this franchise’s WR1.
During the 2020 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders had their choice of wide receivers, a position they coveted, and one that was loaded with draft talent. Guys like CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy were considered the true favorites to be the first wideout off the board, with Henry Ruggs III and Justin Jefferson considered later, first-round selections.
With the Raiders on the clock, they surprised everybody, like they normally do, and selected Ruggs, a speedster out of Alabama. A legitimate first-round talent, Ruggs was cut out of the old mold of Raiders wide receivers, a ‘Speed Kills’ kind of wideout who can take the lid off the defense at any time.
Unfortunately, as a rookie, Ruggs struggled to play consistently, had issues staying on the field, and ended up hauling in only 26 passes for a little over 450 yards. What made matters worse is the fact that other rookie wide receivers had big seasons, including Jefferson, who had 88 catches for 1,400 yards for the Minnesota Vikings.
Raiders are banking on a big second season for Ruggs
In 2021, Ruggs will once again get the opportunity to cement his name atop the depth chart at wide receiver, as the Raiders released John Brown during the cuts, a player many felt would replace Nelson Agholor as the team’s top wide receiver threat. For Ruggs, it has been a solid summer, as he has worked on his route-running, and put on some weight, hoping to stay healthy in Year No. 2.
Las Vegas has an elite tight end in Darren Waller, and Josh Jacobs is one of the more versatile running backs in football. All Derek Carr and this offense need now is for Ruggs, or even fellow second-year wideout Bryan Edwards to step up and become a legitimate playmaker, making this offense one of the more dynamic in football.
There is a lot to like about this Raiders offense, one that was ranked in the top-10 last season, and one that added some more weapons this offseason. However, if the wide receiver room is going to take off in 2021, it needs to be the speedy Ruggs who takes the lead, giving them a legitimate WR1 at the top of their roster for the foreseeable future.