The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of needs, but they are equipped with the money, the draft capital and renewed organizational credibility to address them sufficiently. The biggest move of free agency so far is the trade to acquire quarterback Geno Smith.
The ties head coach Pete Carroll from his run as Seattle Seahawks' coach fueled the idea the Raiders could trade for DK Metcalf, but he is a Pittsburgh Steeler. Another former Seahawks' receiver, Tyler Lockett, remains available and he would be an excellent all-around fit.
Where the Raiders are in the free agent market at wide receiver is unclear. Cooper Kupp does not seem like a good fit, and Stefon Diggs is more name than game at this point in his career. But it's an undeniable need, with Jakobi Meyers the only proven commodity they have at the position right now. Luckily, there are some good options who are still available.
Former AFC West rival receiver proposed as nice fit for the Raiders
Priyanshu Choudary of Pro Football Network led his list of 5 landing spots for free agent wide receiver Keenan Allen with the Raiders.
"This fit makes even more sense after the Las Vegas Raiders added Geno Smith to the roster. Yet, the Raiders had one of the worst offenses in the league last season, and it wasn’t just because of quarterback play,"
"Las Vegas finished just one spot ahead of Chicago in PFSN’s offensive rankings. Outside of Jakobi Meyers, no wide receiver topped 550 yards, thus making Allen a significant upgrade to the Raiders' receiving corps should he join. With Smith, who threw for 4,320 yards last season, Allen could form a dangerous duo in Nevada."
Allen will turn 33 in late-April, and in two of the last three seasons he has failed to top 755 receiving yards. But as noted by Ben Rolfe of Pro Football Network he was targeted on the lowest percentage of his routes (22 percent) since his rookie season (2013) last season, and he had seven touchdowns for a Chicago Bears' offense that was not very good. In 2023, his last of 11 seasons with the Chargers, he topped 100 catches (108) and 1,200 yards (1,243) with seven touchdowns.
At this point in his career, Allen is a reliable complementary piece and no longer a proverbial No. 1 receiver. Some might say that makes him redundant to what Meyers is, but no stone should be left unturned to add weapons around Smith and the former Charger stands out as a nice fit compared to some other remaining free agent options.