There is little question that wide receiver is a top need on the Raiders. Certainly the top need on the offensive side of the ball. Mike Mayock recently said the Raiders could use some speed on the outside, which is to say they need a number one receiver. Or at very least they need a starter across from Tyrell Williams. People like to talk draft for this, but free agency is up first, so let’s explore it.

Arguably the top wide receiver on the market is Amari Cooper. But that ain’t happenin’ so let’s just move on from that idea to a few other potential top targets for the Raiders this offseason.

AJ Green, 31

From 2011 to 2017 AJ Green was in every Pro Bowl. Every. Single. One. The past two seasons were tripped up by injuries. He landed on injured reserve after eight games in 2018 and missed all of 2019. At 31 years of age, he isn’t going to have a lot of teams looking to him as their long term answer. Especially not after coming off two season-ending injuries.

But if Green can get healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t return to form as one of the top receivers in football. I don’t think I need to remind anyone that Jerry Rice was 39 when he joined the Raiders, Tim Brown went to two Pro Bowls under Gruden at age 33 and 35, then was signed by Gruden in Tampa at age 38.

Robby Anderson, 26

Anderson has got the requisite speed at the position. He ran an unofficial 4.36 40-yard dash at his Temple pro day, even if it wasn’t enough to get him drafted. While Anderson has never really risen to star status, he’s been a consistently very good starting receiver. The  6-3, 190-pounder has 3059 yards and 20 touchdowns in four NFL season with the Jets.

Emmanuel Sanders, 32

Sanders already has a Super Bowl ring from when he was with the Broncos in 2015. Now he’s working on a second one with the 49ers after having been traded by the Broncos midseason.

He’s still a speedy and talented receiver. In a shootout win by the 49ers in week 14, he caught 7 passes on 9 targets for 157 yards and a touchdown. They won 48-46, proving that when the 49ers need to turn it on, they can, and Sanders can step up. That was the third 100-yard game last season. Facing the high powered Chiefs offense in the Super Bowl, you have to figure Sanders will play a major role in the game as a go-to target for Jimmy Garoppolo.

Breshad Perriman, 26

You want speed? Perriman has got it in spades. The Central Florida product shot up draft boards in 2016 when he ran a blazing 4.24 40. The Baltimore Ravens selected him at 26 overall. After 499 yards and 3 TD’s as a rookie, Injuries ended his second season in Baltimore and they would later waive him.

He spent one disappointing season in Cleveland before joining the Buccaneers last season. He barely saw the field the first part of the season, but late in the season he suddenly emerged as a game-breaking receiver. In the final five games of the season, he caught 25 passes for 506 yards and five touchdowns.

Perriman is a perfect candidate for a one-year prove-it deal. He may be just starting to show his first-round talent, but it’s better late than never.

Others to keep an eye on: Nelson Agholor (26), Randall Cobb (29), Phillip Dorsett (27)

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