Will Fuller can bring explosiveness back to the Raiders offense
By Jason Willis
After losing speedster Henry Ruggs, the Raiders could not threaten teams down the field. This is where Will Fuller has always succeeded.
The Raiders need help at wide receiver. While this is certainly not news to anyone who has followed the Raiders, it will certainly be one of the first things that the new front office addresses. Of course, the biggest reason the Raiders need help in this spot is the loss of Henry Ruggs.
After his involvement in the fatal car crash, the Las Vegas offense was shifted entirely. Not only did Ruggs bring elite speed, but he was becoming a true number one wide receiver.
In the absence of Ruggs, the Raiders relied on Zay Jones and Desean Jackson to play his position. Zay Jones may be a hard worker and loved by quarterback Derek Carr but he just isn’t a starting-caliber wideout. In the case of Desean Jackson, he just never appeared to get opportunities. A late addition to the team, he likely just was not able to build a rapport with Carr.
This is not to say the Raiders have no big-play options. Hunter Renfrow had over 1,000 yards receiving and was responsible for numerous big plays in 2021. Alas, he is never going to be the type of receiver that scares defenses over the top. The same can be said for tight end, Darren Waller. While he is a threat over the middle of the field, he is not deployed often enough on the boundary to command the same respect that Ruggs did.
When Derek Carr had the speed of Ruggs on the field he was a different quarterback. This is where Will Fuller comes in. A dynamic speed option known for taking the top off, he can change the way the Raiders play offense entirely.