The NFL Draft is over and now comes the dead period of the offseason. Training camp is still two months away (at the earliest), but there are still some unanswered questions surrounding the Raiders. Here are three questions that the Las Vegas Raiders have entering the 2020 season.
Will DE Clelin Ferrell make a leap in Year 2?
The Raiders spent the No. 4 pick on Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell in the 2019 NFL Draft, shocking many draftniks. Ferrell had a modest rookie season, starting 15 games and recording 4.5 sacks. But he was thoroughly outplayed by fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby, who recorded 10 sacks in as many starts.
Ferrell vowed that he would be a much different player in his second season, and the Raiders are hoping that is the case as they need him to become a more consistent pass rusher. With Rod Marinelli now coaching the defensive line, look for Ferrell to become more consistent with his hand usages and angles when rushing the quarterback.
If Ferrell can make a significant leap as promised, the Raiders’ defense could improve pretty quickly with young defensive ends. Ferrell’s progression in training camp and in the preseason will be worth watching.
How will the Raiders use rookie WR Henry Ruggs III?
It was no secret that the Raiders had to improve their wide receiver corps this offseason. After missing on Antonio Brown in 2019, the Raiders were left with Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow as their top options at the position last season. That’s not good enough as the rest of the division was significantly better at the position and boasted much more speed.
That is why the Raiders used the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft not on CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy, but on speedster Henry Ruggs III. Of the top three receivers in the draft, Ruggs is undoubtedly the most incomplete as a player. He was significantly outproduced by Jeudy in college and never had an 800-yard receiving season at Alabama. But the one thing that separated Ruggs from the rest of the receivers in this draft was his world-class speed. At the NFL combine, Ruggs ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, which was the best time in the entire class.
With the Raiders having to face Tyreek Hill twice a season in the division, it was clear that Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock had learned the value of having to defend every blade of grass on the field. Ruggs offers that same threat as he can make plays down the field with ease. But it’ll be fascinating to see how the Raiders use Ruggs in their West Coast offense, which typically relies on getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly. Does Gruden design an offense to best utilize Ruggs’ skill set, or is he forced to play into the confines of the offense like a traditional receiver? Is Derek Carr going to be more willing to throw the ball downfield more than he has ever in his career? All of these questions will be interesting to follow for the Raiders during training camp and in the preseason.
Can Derek Carr hold off Marcus Mariota?
The biggest question surrounding the Raiders entering the season is the status of Carr. In his second year under Gruden, Carr improved his completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating. However, there is still the underlying belief that Gruden wants more from the quarterback position.
While the Raiders didn’t sign or draft anyone to replace Carr this offseason, they did give Marcus Mariota a hefty contract to back up their franchise quarterback. Gruden and Mayock both loved Mariota pre-draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising if both wanted to see what the former Titans quarterback looked like in their offense.
For Carr to keep his job, he is going to need to be more aggressive throwing the ball down the field. And with Ruggs now on the roster, there is no excuse for Carr not to take more chances vertically. If that doesn’t happen, expect Mariota to get his chance.
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