Is rookie WR Henry Ruggs walking into a bad situation with the Raiders?

Is rookie WR Henry Ruggs walking into a bad situation with the Raiders?

Most of the wide receivers that were drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft will be in great situations as rookies. For example, Jerry Jeudy will play opposite of Courtland Sutton in Denver and CeeDee Lamb will be the Cowboys’ No. 3 receiver with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup.

But what about No. 12 pick Henry Ruggs III of the Las Vegas Raiders? Despite being the first receiver drafted, he may have landed in a “not-so-great” situation given his skill set. In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, senior writer Michael Renner expressed doubt about Ruggs in Las Vegas as a rookie:

“The worry with Ruggs isn’t whether he will see the field, but rather will he be put in a position to succeed? He goes to a quarterback in Derek Carr who targeted deep routes at the fifth-lowest rate of any starter in the NFL. When targeting receivers last season, his average depth of target was only 10.3 yards downfield (fifth-lowest in NFL). That number was 10.2 in 2018, as well (lowest in NFL). You can make a chicken or the egg argument, but the place where Ruggs’ speed is most dangerous hasn’t been in his new quarterback’s wheelhouse.”

Outside of his fit with Derek Carr, there is also some concern that Ruggs will be asked to do “too much” right away in the Raiders’ offense. Ruggs will likely be covered by the opponent’s top defensive back and that could prove to be troublesome early in his career.

Ruggs should find his rhythm in the Raiders’ offense in due time, but don’t expect a monster rookie season from the former Alabama receiver. Instead, look for his value to come in other ways, opening up routes underneath for players like Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.

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Raiders wide receiver corps ranked at No. 19 entering 2020 season

Raiders wide receiver corps ranked at No. 19 entering 2020 season

Entering the 2020 offseason, the wide receiver position was the team’s greatest weakness by a significant margin. While fifth-round pick Hunter Renfrow proved to be a solid addition last season, the group needed help.

The Raiders did address the position by not only spending the No. 12 pick on former Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs III, but also picking another SEC stud in Bryan Edwards at pick No. 81. Both players are expected to play a significant amount as rookies.

But was that enough to give the Raiders a competent receiving corps in 2020? In a recent article by Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus, he ranked all 32 teams by their receiving corps entering the season. The Raiders finished outside the top half of the league, as they were ranked at No. 19. Here is a snippet of Linsey’s thoughts on the Raiders entering the 2020 season:

“(The Raiders) added unteachable speed and athleticism to that group with their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by selecting Henry Ruggs III out of Alabama. Ruggs’ production with the Crimson Tide won’t blow you away, but he has the tools to be a complete wide receiver at the next level, and not just a deep threat. It remains to be seen if he can be that player right out of the gate, though.”

The Raiders will have a very young receiving corps this season with three of their top four receivers under the age of 25. The team is hoping that Darren Waller and Foster Moreau can carry their passing game until the young receivers get up to speed.

While this group may have their struggles early on in 2020, look for Ruggs and Edwards to emerge as starters by the end of the season. This is a unit with a ton of potential that could be significantly better by this time next year

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GM Mike Mayock says Raiders will use rookie Lynn Bowden Jr in ‘Joker’ role

GM Mike Mayock says Raiders will use rookie Lynn Bowden Jr in ‘Joker’ role

When the Raiders draft Lynn Bowden with the No. 80 pick in the 2020 draft, it was a bit surprising to hear commissioner Roger Goodell announce him as a “running back.” The pick itself wasn’t a shocker, but his position was.

During Bowden’s college career, he played mostly as a receiver until he was forced to move to the quarterback positional for the final eight games of his career. Bowden finished his college career in 114 receptions for 1,303 yards and six touchdowns.

While it would appear the wide receiver is his best spot in the NFL, the Raiders will start him out as a running back to get him on the field more often. In a recent article on ESPN, general manager Mike Mayock talked about Bowden being involved in the offense as a pass-catcher:

“In the SEC two years ago, he caught 60-70 passes as a slot [receiver]. Last year, as you guys know, he was quarterback/wildcat … we think he’s one of the most athletic, tougher guys in this year’s draft. We’re going to train him to be running back. If he’s able to do that job, we’ll be able [to] do some other things with him — move him around, let him catch the football.”

Because of Bowden’s size (5’11, 204 pounds), he does appear to fit better as a running back. However, don’t expect him to be used as a traditional running back in any sense of the word. According to Mayock, Bowden will be used in the “Joker” role in the offense.

What that exactly means remains to be seen, but look for Bowden to get snaps at running back, slot receiver, kick returner, and even quarterback in Jon Gruden’s offense. But the goal appears to be simple for Gruden; get the ball into the hands of No. 33.

Look for the Raiders to ease Bowden into his role on offense in 2020, likely playing him solely as a running back to start the year. But given just how dynamic and versatile he has shown to be, expect the Raiders to continue to add more to his plate as the season goes along.

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Raiders 2020 position battles: Running back

Raiders 2020 position battles: Running back

Last year, the Raiders got their starting running back in Josh Jacobs. The 24th overall pick burst onto the scene, putting of numbers worthy of being named Rookie of the Year. He is unquestionably the team’s feature back. But he needs a back to share some of the load. And that’s where the competition comes in.

Lynn Bowden Jr vs Devontae Booker

Others: Jalen Richard, Rod Smith, William Stanback, Alec Ingold (FB)

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Richard is the team’s receiving option out of the backfield. In each of the past two seasons, he’s had more catches than carries. That leaves the job of complementary back to someone else.

For the rookie Bowden it’s a battle for playing time. For Booker it’s a battle for a roster spot. So, basically it means is Bowden proves he can be the guy, Booker is out. If Booker proves he is the better option, the Raiders could carry an extra running back.

Bowden played primarily quarterback and wide receiver at Kentucky, so running back is somewhat of a new position for him. As a quarterback, he’s run the ball a great deal and the Raiders are counting on him showing the same vision as a running back.

Booker was a former fourth-round pick by the Broncos. He put up 612 yards rushing as a rookie, but he averaged a meager 3.5 yards per carry. His carries have gone down every season since and his career average is 3.8 yards per carry.

Last season he carried the ball just two times, playing almost exclusively on special teams. That may not cut it to make the Raiders roster. Especially if it’s a choice between him and a rookie third-round pick.

Gruden sees enough in Booker to add him to the roster. Perhaps it was his play in 2018 when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry on 34 attempts. That’s an average of just over two carries per game. The Raiders will probably want him for more than that. More like 4-6 carries per game.

Again, the decision will likely come down to what Bowden shows. He is a project at running back with the Raiders seeing him ultimately as a Joker H-back type (think Marcel Reece). With roster spots at a premium, if they think he can tote the rock immediately, he will get the nod. If not, Booker could get his shot.

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Raiders LB spot features NFL’s sixth-biggest upgrade, WR among rookie upgrades

Being among the worst at any position certainly makes it a lot easier to upgrade in the offseason. That was the case for a couple of positions on the Raiders this offseason. Wide receiver and linebacker were far and away the most desperate spots for …

Being among the worst at any position certainly makes it a lot easier to upgrade in the offseason. That was the case for a couple of positions on the Raiders this offseason.

Wide receiver and linebacker were far and away the most desperate spots for an upgrade.

Linebacker was an issue across the board. The Raiders found themselves with no returning starters at the position this offseason. Tahir Whitehead was coming off his second season and was rated as one of the worst coverage linebackers in the NFL. The team released him and signed top free agent target, Cory Littleton.

I recently rated Littleton as the number one addition for the Raiders this offseason. ESPN covered it from a national perspective, making the upgrade from Whitehead to Littleton the 6th biggest in the NFL.

The Raiders’ defense will have a new look in the “Back 7” this season, and it will be anchored by Littleton. The 26-year-old had been an absolute machine for the Rams the past two seasons. Littleton is the only player in the NFL with at least 125 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks each of the past two seasons. Only one other player (Darius Leonard) has done that even once during the span. Littleton will be an every-down player at linebacker alongside Nick Kwiatkoski, with Damon Arnette, Damarious Randall, Jeff Heath and Maliek Collins among the other newcomers to the first defense to hit the Las Vegas strip.

ESPN’s top five biggest upgrades were:

  1. Colts DI DeForest Buckner over Margus Hunt
  2. Buccaneers QB Tom Brady over Jameis Winston
  3. Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins over Damiere Byrd
  4. Dolphins CB Byron Jones over Nik Needham
  5. Eagles CB Darius Slay over Ronald Darby

Interesting that the Raiders were in on signing Byron Jones and trading for Darius Slay, but lost out on those attempts. They would end up instead drafting Damon Arnette and signing Prince Amukamara.

Along with adding Littleton at outside linebacker, the Raiders also signed Nick Kwiatkoski to play the middle linebacker spot. Though bringing back Will Compton would have made sense as well.

Wide receiver had a gaping hole at one of the starting spots. Namely the number one receiver spot. Teams can’t exactly expect to do a whole lot on offense without a number one receiver.

For that reason, finding some outside speed was a must. They signed Nelson Agholor in free agency for depth, but to fill that number one spot, they needed a potential game breaker.

I listed Ruggs as the third best addition to the team and again ESPN agreed, listing him among the fourth most notable rookie upgrades over 2019 dud trade acquisition, Zay Jones.

The over/under for Ruggs’s receiving numbers are set at 800 yards according to prop bets that came out this morning. While Jones had just 216 yards between the Raiders and Bills last season. His career high is 652 yards which he put up in 2018.

The top three most notable rookie upgrades were:

  1. Bengals QB Joe Burrow over Andy Dalton
  2. Washington ED Chase Young over Ryan Anderson
  3. Lions CB Jeff Okudah over Rashaan Melvin

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs forced the most missed tackles in 2019

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs forced the most missed tackles in 2019

One of the biggest surprises for the Raiders in the 2019 season was just how dominant Josh Jacobs was as a rookie. Despite dealing with a shoulder injury, Jacobs tallied over 1,300 yards from scrimmage in just 13 starts. But that doesn’t even begin to show just how great the former Alabama running back was last season.

According to Pro Football Focus, no player forced more missed tackles last season than Jacobs (69) despite the rookie missing three games. According to the site, Jacobs finished the season as the second-highest graded running back in the NFL (87.1) only behind Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns (88.7).

With a year under his belt, Jacobs is primed to have a monster season in 2020. The team added more speed at receiver in Henry Ruggs III and that should only help keep safeties away from the line of scrimmage.

If Jacobs can show that he can contribute more in the passing game next season, it’s possible that he could eclipse 2,000 total yards. He has that type of talent and it is clear that head coach Jon Gruden wants to ride his workhorse back.

Jacobs is already among the best running backs in the NFL and a strong 2020 season could potentially put him atop that list.

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Raiders LB Javin White named team’s most exciting UDFA signing

Raiders LB Javin White named team’s most exciting UDFA signing

Believe it or not, more than 30 percent of the NFL is made up of undrafted free agents. These are the players that almost always round out the bottom of the roster and contribute on special teams. But every now and then, a former undrafted free agent signing will climb the depth chart and will rise to stardom.

In a recent piece by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, he broke down each team’s most exciting undrafted free-agent addition. For the Raiders, that was none other than UNLV linebacker Javin White, who could wind up making the team’s roster as a nickel linebacker. Here is a snippet of why Knox believes White has a chance to make the Raiders’ roster this season:

“As a former wideout and defensive back, White has the coverage instincts and ball skills to be a difference-maker either as a rotational linebacker or as a complement to Littleton. He should also add a competitive edge to the Raiders defense. Last season with UNLV, White amassed 79 tackles, 11 passes defended and three interceptions.”

White is an undersized linebacker who plays more like a safety. But given his coverage skills, he could find a role on passing downs covering running backs or tight ends.

However, in order for White to make the roster, he will need to contribute on special teams. If special teams’ coordinator Rich Bisaccia can find him a role, look for him to make the roster as he has. shown the talent worthy of playing in the NFL.

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Here is why Raiders WR Henry Ruggs III could win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award

Here is why Raiders WR Henry Ruggs III could win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award

Wide receivers don’t win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award very often. Since 2004, only two receivers have taken home the honors; Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 and Percy Harvin in 2009. So it appears that Raiders’ rookie receiver Henry Ruggs III doesn’t stand a chance, right?

Think again.

Unlike most of the receivers in this draft class, Ruggs enters a situation with a ton of available targets. Before the 2019 season started, the plan was to feed Antonio Brown the ball and let Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow complement him. But after he was released before Week 1, the Raiders had to change their passing attack dramatically.

Given that the team used the No. 12 pick on Ruggs, they will likely feature him early and often in their offense. In a recent piece by Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire, he wrote about why  Ruggs could be in for a huge rookie season with the Raiders:

Ruggs going to the Raiders with the 12th overall pick most have made the late Al Davis happy, given Davis’ decades-long thing for receivers who could burn down the field, forcing cornerbacks and safeties to play catch-up. Ruggs, the Alabama alum who ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, has every bit of that speed on the field, and he’s a more diverse route-runner than you might expect. Once he lines up with Derek Carr, the Raiders’ passing could the vertical festival Jon Gruden clearly wants it to be.

For Ruggs to win the award, all he would need to do is hit on 8-10 big plays. And if he were to do it on the prime time stage, that will help even more. Ruggs has the home run ability to score from any point on the field and that’s why the Raiders were so eager to spend the No. 12 pick on him.

If Ruggs can come close to 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns, consider him a lock to be in the conversation for the Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

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The Joker is here: Lynn Bowden Jr. can elevate the Raiders offense

The Raiders draft was heavy on the offensive side. One of those picks was the versatile Lynn Bowden and we deep dive into his skillset

The Las Vegas Raiders offense was beyond solid last year. After finishing in the top-ten in almost every efficiency metric, the Raiders still were missing pieces to score points and take it to the next level.

Then came the draft which was supposed to be one the deepest the league has seen since 2014 for wide receivers. A player who was starting-caliber was available in the later rounds and the Raiders pounced like lions on gazelles in the wild.

They drafted three wide receivers with their first four picks in the draft, adding depth to a much-needed position, but one player is bound to a unique role. That man is Lynn Bowden from Kentucky, who will be playing the Joker role.

What is the Joker’s Role? It depends on what offensive coordinator you ask. Traditionally it is for a tight end, which is considered the H-back. It was made famous by Don Coryell, who would move Kellen Winslow everywhere on the field to create favorable matchups in the offense. However, over time it has evolved into doing it all players who can be ambiguous to any position on the field.

Lynn Bowden will fill that role in 2020 for the Raiders and will test Gruden’s creativity and schemes. It’s time to make this offense explosive.

Do it All Bowden

Bowden did it all at the University of Kentucky. He was primarily a wide receiver during his first two seasons of college football. He was productive his sophomore year racking 725 yards on 67 receptions with 5 touchdowns.

In 2019 he started off strong again with 30 receptions over the first 5 games. But with all the quarterbacks injured, Bowden stepped up for his team and advised his coach he wanted to make the switch to the quarterback position.

As a starting QB for Wildcats, he was 6-2 and led the SEC in rushing with 1468 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, Bowden broke 48 tackles on his 166 designed runs. He finished the season with two straight 200-yard rushing performances helping the Wildcats finish the season with a winning record in a tough SEC conference.

Which brings all back to the Joker position that he is slated for at the next level. Gruden has a chance to display his creativity with Bowden and show off he’s ready for the modern NFL.

The Wildcat

When you see a player ran for 1,468 yards while playing quarterback, the wild cat is the first formation that comes to mind. Bowden’s ability to be to force defenses to play 11 on 11 might lead to chunk yards in the running game.

The Wildcat was made famous by the late Tony Sparano and the Miami Dolphins in 2008. The formation with Reggie Brown even caught the great Bill Belichick off guard and helped lead the Dolphins to the playoffs.

Bowden was excellent running the zone read while playing quarterback for Kentucky. The play below is a perfect example. He does an excellent job of reading the linebackers, getting them to commit to the running back. Once they commit, he keeps and burst through the hole at full speed.

Against Virginia Tech, he had 233 rushing yards and helped them upset the Hokies. This play was to tie the game and was a quarterback draw on 3rd and 8.

Bowden does a great job making a man miss in the backfield, which then leads to him on another house call making defenders look silly on the way to a huge touchdown.

This element can help in the red zone, and Gruden can even do packages with all three running backs on the field. Gruden has tons of opportunities to open this up and create mismatches and havoc on defensive coordinators’ brains.

Targets out of the Backfield.

Bowden’s natural position is at wide receiver, where he primarily played in college. He brings that flavor to the table as well, and with him designated to play running back, linebackers might start shaking in their boots when he gets lined up outside.

A great play the Raiders have run before is the mesh/wheel play design from Chip Kelly. Kelly added a nice wrinkle to the Air Raid staple having the running back run a wheel route out of the backfield to create a one on one match up with the linebacker.

Against the Bengals back in 2018, the Raiders execute this play with Jalen Richard in the backfield. The mesh helps move the cornerback out of the position of the play, especially with man to man coverage. This gives Richard the one on one to the outside. He easily wins the matchup with a nice throw from Derek Carr for the explosive play.

Another great way to use Bowden is to move him out of the backfield into the slot. In 2016, Kyle Shanahan did this at a high amount with Tevin Coleman leading to large gains on offense.

Here it was against the Broncos in 2016. The Falcons move Tevin Coleman out of the backfield into the slot to Matt Ryan’s left. The Falcons will be running four verticals against Cover 2 man coverage out of 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end).

This gets Coleman one on one with a linebacker in the slot. And with the safety learning towards Sanu, it opens up the middle of the field for Coleman and an easy pitch and catch for the touchdown.

 

Bowden can be used in a plethora of ways and will genuinely test Gruden’s creativity as a play-caller. If he can get the most of Bowden, this offense will hard to stop on any down and distance.

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Top 10 new additions for Raiders from the 2020 offseason

Top 10 new additions for Raiders from the 2020 offseason

The Raiders were quite busy this offseason. Especially during the free agency period. Putting together a list of top ten newcomers might seem like too many for some teams, but not for this one.

The Raiders added some 20 new free agents this offseason. Then when you add the 7 draft picks and 8 undrafted free agent signings and you’re up to 35 newcomers.

Not all newcomers are created equal, however. Some figure to make bigger impacts in the immediate future than others. Here are the top-10 as I see it.

10. TE Jason Witten

With one of the best tight ends in the league in Darren Waller already leading the way for the Raiders and Foster Moreau looking like a great number two tight end, they didn’t exactly need one. But could they use Witten’s talents? Sure.

Last season, he came out of retirement at the age of 37 and caught 63 passes for 529 yards and 4 touchdowns. Who couldn’t use that kind of production? And he’s always been a solid blocker.

Sure, there were probably better places they could have spent the $4.75 million they’re paying him, but this isn’t really about that. Gruden figures to have a nice looking trio of tight ends to work with and we know how much he loves tight ends.

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