If the Raiders are going to make a leap this season, they will need their offense to be better. The team made several moves this offseason to make the unit more explosive, such as drafting wide receiver Henry Ruggs III with the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
There is a lot to be excited about in regards to this offense. Josh Jacobs is emerging as one of the league’s best running backs and Darren Waller became a star at the tight end position. The offensive line is healthy once again and they have several Pro Bowl linemen in the group.
But where does this offense rank among the rest of the league? Is there any chance the unit can reach top-10 status this season?
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they ranked all 32 offenses heading into the 2020 season. The Raiders came in at No. 16, but the site notes that there isn’t a big difference between Las Vegas and several of the teams listed ahead of them. Take a look at PFF’s thoughts on why the addition of Ruggs could be a very important one for the Raiders this season:
There is no question that the receiving corps struggled a season ago. Hunter Renfrow was the only bright spot, as he produced a 76.5 receiving grade in his rookie campaign. To help bolster the unit, they opted to take speedster Henry Ruggs III with the 12th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. No FBS wide receiver turned a higher rate of targets into a 15-plus-yard gain in 2019 than Ruggs (38%). With his speed, releases, route-running, ball skills, after-the-catch ability and potential to make plays in traffic, we think Ruggs can provide an immediate upgrade as a rookie.
If Ruggs can become a reliable outside receiver, this offense does have a chance to be really good as soon as this season. They will be asking a lot out of their rookie receivers, but they won’t need to carry the offense as Jacobs, Waller and Renfrow can do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Look for this unit to be significantly better this season, especially if they can stay healthy. If the Raiders can be a top-10 offense this season, they should be destined for the playoffs. That’s the type of upside this unit has entering the season.
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