Zay Jones on his way out, Raiders need for a wideout continues to be magnified
With the confirmed departure of Zay Jones, the Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in desperate need to fix the wide-receiver unit.
As the first official day of the free agency festivities kicked off, the Las Vegas Raiders found their receiving corps in the same shambles they ended the 2021 season with. In fact, it’s only gotten worst. This is reinforced by the departure of Zay Jones, who’s agreed to a three-year deal with Jacksonville, worth up to $30 million.
Since being traded to the Raiders in 2019, Jones has recorded 81 receptions coupled with 847 yards. A wide bulk of this was last season alone, where the 6’2 receiver who stepped up in the absence of Henry Ruggs posted 47 catches and north of 500 yards.
The numbers don’t jump out at you, but Derek Carr and Zay Jones had an instant connection and worked hard off the field to maximize their chemistry. This was a defining factor for Jones in key moments, as the Raiders quarterback would tend to look his way at the biggest of times.
When Zay first became a Raider, he was buried on the depth chart. By his first off-season as a Raider, he was on the roster bubble. Fast forward to his last game in silver and black, Jones is a starting receiver for Las Vegas in the post-season, where he records 61 yards and even has the final play of the game [for the Raiders offense] thrown his way.
Zay’s most memorable play as a Raider is likely his week-one overtime catch against Marlon Humphrey and the Baltimore Ravens, where he scored a walk-off touchdown to start off the 2021 season. This was just one of many impressive plays he would make, becoming a big part of the offense down the stretch.
The trust quarterback Derek Carr had in Zay Jones is not something easy to duplicate. Outside of the now Pro-Bowler Hunter Renfrow, there isn’t much chemistry between receiver and QB. This in itself is something that must be stressed come training camp
Jones is another name the Raiders can cross out as the wideout options continue to grow scarce. For now, the starting two outside-receivers are Bryan Edwards and Tyron Johnson. Needless to say, a lot of work has to be done to this unit between now and the start of the ’22 season.