With the 2021 NFL Draft over and the schedule officially being released, it’s time for my third annual 32 part series where the top three questions will be posed for each NFL team. Here are those three questions for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Be sure to check out all of Heller’s Three Burning Questions.
Are There Enough Footballs to go Around?
The Raiders beefed up their depth at the wide receiver position. They added former Baltimore Ravens receiver Willie Snead as well as former Buffalo Bills wideout John Brown to their receiving corps from last season. Second-year receiver Henry Ruggs III, Hunter Renfrow, Zay Jones, and tight end Darren Waller, combined with the new duo give Derek Carr plenty of solid options with the football, as long as they all survive cutdown day. Carr will likely top last season’s career-high of over 4,100 passing yards with the upgrade at pass catchers. In a division where they have to put up points to keep up with the explosive offenses of the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, there’s no such thing as having too many weapons at your disposal.
Back to Number Two?
Kenyan Drake was the top back in Arizona last season. However, he joined the Raiders in free agency this spring. With Josh Jacobs being the obvious No. 1 back in head coach Jon Gruden’s offense, Drake will be the No. 2 back. Jacobs for the second time in his two-year career eclipsed the 1,000 yard rushing mark and scored 12 touchdowns last season and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. Meanwhile, with the Cardinals last season, Drake fell just 45 yards short of the 1,000-yard rushing mark, but his 10 rushing touchdowns were a career-high. If Jacobs can stay healthy and Drake makes the most of his opportunities, this running game will compliment Carr and the passing game quite nicely.
Can the Defense Avoid the Injury Bug?
The Raiders last season, especially in the secondary, had trouble staying healthy. They added former Chargers’ two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Casey Hayward. Then, they used three draft picks on secondary depth, including TCU safety Trevon Moehrig-Woodard in the second round. They also signed a pair of undrafted cornerbacks. To help out the back end, the team added defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to their pass rush. They join Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell upfront. This defensive front could be one of the best in the NFL and make their secondary’s job that much easier.
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3 Responses
Those are definitely some solid questions, I hope our Las Vegas boys are taken care of, thanks for the info, rock on!