Official Las Vegas Raiders Thread

2021 WRs
Renfrow 103-1038-9
Jones 47-546-1
Edwards 34-571-3
Ruggs 24-469-2
Jackson 12-233-1
Snead 3-32

2022
Adams 123-1553-11
Renfrow 103-1038-9
Edwards 34-571-3
Hollins 14-223-4

I like the looks of that.

 

2021 RBs
Jacobs 271 touches, 1220 yards, 9 TDs
Drake 93 touches, 545 yards, 3 TDs
Barber 65 touches, 279 yards, 2 TDs
Richard 21 touches, 112 yards, 0 TD
Ingold 12 touches, 86 yards, 1 TD
Ragas 3 touches, 15 yards

2022 RBs
Jacobs 271 touches, 1220 yards, 9 TDs
Brandon Bolden 85 touches, 631 yards, 3 TDs
Drake 93 touches, 545 yards, 3 TDs
Abdullah 89 touches, 455 yards, 1 TD
Jakob Johnson 4 touches, 43 yards

I hate losing Ingold, but Johnson seems like a legit replacement. I think it's a better crew than what the Raiders had on roster last season. Just a quick tally of the top four from 2021: 450 touches, 2156 yards, 14 TDs. This year's crew (top 4) posted: 533 touches, 2851 yards, and 16 TDs. Lots of experience.

 

Red Zone 2021
Davante Adams 31 targets, 19 receptions, 9 TDs
All other GB WRs: 42 targets, 18 receptions, 11 TDs

Renfrow 25 targets, 14 receptions, 6 TDs
Edwards 11 targets, 6 receptions, 3 TDs
Jones 3 targets, 0 receptions
Ruggs 1 target, 0 receptions
Sum: 40 targets, 20 receptions, 9 TDs

Two notes: first, outside of Adams, Rodgers and Carr's numbers look pretty similar. Second, Adams is miles better than anyone on the list, except, maybe, Renfrow. That's exciting.

 

Raiders adding some depth, restaffing the OL
IN: Demarcus Robinson WR
IN: Kyle Peko DT
IN: Jacob Hollister TE
IN: Re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor OG
IN: Kyler Fackrell LB
IN: Re-signed Brandon Parker T
IN: Micah Kiser LB

I'm personally very intrigued by Robinson. He's only 27, he has good size, and he has had some success as a WR - posting at least 22 receptions, 264 yards, and 3 TDs each of the last four seasons.

Peko had his best season last year. He started 3 games, appeared in 8, had two sacks, forced a fumble, and had 2 tackles for loss. Still, he has never earned a grade above 62 from PFF.

Hollister - could be immediate special teams impact if he makes the team. He came into the league with the Pats, and he had two successful seasons with the Seahawks.

Eluemunor was respectable depth, and he played two seasons with the Patriots, so I presume the staff is pretty familiar with what he offers.

Fackrell is an interesting piece. He recorded 10.5 sacks in 2018 with Green Bay. He has ammassed 7 over the past two seasons despite being a rotational player. He could make the team as rotational pass rusher and special teamer.

I think Raiders fans know who Brandon Parker is.

Micah Kiser's one season (2020) of extensive play was pretty unremarkable. He played a ton of snaps, but he graded out at 40.0 on PFF, which is very, very low.

 

Jacob Hollister has some red zone mojo.
2021: 1 target, 1 completion 1 TD
2020: 9 targets, 6 completions, 3 TDs
2019: 9 targets, 6 completions, 3 TDs
That's 19 targets, 13 completions, and 7 TDs.

Raiders adding some red zone weapons.

 

Defensive Line Comparison

2021
Maxx Crosby DE 8 sacks, 13 TFL, 30 QBH
Quinton Jefferson DT 4.5 sacks, 5 TFL, 16 QBH
Yannick Ngakoue DE 10 sacks, 8 TFL, 23 QBH
Solomon Thomas DT 3.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 12 QBH
===26 sacks, 29 TFL, 81 QBH
Johnathan Hankins DT 0 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QBH
Darius Philon DT 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 2 QBH
Carl Nassib DE 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 4 QBH
Cleline Ferrell DE 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 6 QBH
Damion Square DL 0.5 sacks, 0 TFL, 3 QBH


2022
Chandler Jones DE 10.5 sacks, 26 QBH, 12 TFL
Vernon Butler NT 0.0 sacks, 0 TFL, 1 QBH
Bilal Nichols DT 3.0 sacks, 5 TFL, 9 QBH
Maxx Crosby DE 8 sacks, 13 TFL, 30 QBH
===21.5 sacks, 30 TFL, 66 QBH
Cleline Ferrell DE 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 6 QBH
Malcolm Koonce DE 2.0 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QBH
Kyle Peko DT 2.0 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QBH
Andrew Billings DT 0.0 sacks, 0 TFL, 0 QBH
Kendal Vickers DL 0.0 sacks, 0 TFL, 0 QBH
Kyler Fackrell
Gerri Green DE
PJ Johnson DL

At first glance, the team may be deeper, but I don't see an obvious upgrade.

 

Draft Thoughts
I don't know that the Raiders grabbed any studs, but they may have added five players who should earn significant playing time as rookies.

Dylan Parham
Comparisons: Andy Levitre, Matt Paradis. Those players put together a ten-year career as a starting LG, 67 career AV and seven years and counting as a starting Center, career AV 39.
What he is now: needs some time to develop
What he could be: eventual average starter
Biggest Strength: exceptional speed (95th % in the 40, 96% speed score)
Biggest question: where will he play? OG seems most likely, but he has the speed to play at tackle.
Big stat: allowed just 1 sack, 4 hits in final 1047 snaps
Rookie Thoughts: Not clear that there’s a spot for him as a rookie, and that’s okay. He’ll work into the rotation.

Zamir White
Comparisons: Marion Barber, Joe Mixon. Barber was a hard-nosed runner, 6000 yards from scrimmage, 59 TDs, one Pro Bowl, and 44 career AV in 7 seasons. Mixon has 38 AV in five seasons, with 5886 yards from scrimmage and 41 TDs. Also a Pro Bowler.
What he is now: an inside bruising runner
What he could be: eventual average starter
Biggest strength: Speed. 40-time 96th%, speed score 95th%. But on tape it’s his power.
Biggest question: What’s his role in the passing game? If he can pass block and receive, he’s a steal, possible Pro Bowler. If he can do one of those, he’s a starter. If he can do neither, he has no spot.
Big stat: Averaged 3.6 yards after contact in 2021.
Rookie Thoughts: That’s a crowded backfield with Jacobs and Drake in front of him. He could serve as a short yardage back early. Worth noting that the Raiders’ third RB has averaged about 35 carries a season over the last three years, so there’s work for White.

Neil Farrell
Comparisons: DJ Reader, Derrick Nnadi. Reader has six seasons and counting, mostly as solid starter. Nnadi has four seasons and counting, as a solid starter.
What he is now: could step in and see rotational work on early downs
What he could be: adequate starter as NT, DI
Biggest Strength: size, reach, and plays with size
Biggest Weakness: not a good athlete (40-time 5th%, bench 3%, agility 1%)
Biggest question: Is there room on the defensive front for another DI?
Biggest stat: In three games against Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama, he totaled 21 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, showing he can play against high level opponents.
Rookie Thoughts: When the Raiders resigned Hankins, that sort of shut the door on a starting spot for another DI. Farrell may need to show well to make the roster, let alone fight for playing time with a crowded defensive front.

Matthew Butler
Comparisons: Larrell Murchison, Byron Cowart. Murchison has appeared in 21 games with 5 starts across two seasons. Cowart showed well in 2020, with 14 starts, but injuries kept him out of 2021.
What he is now: a quick DI player who could see reps
What he could be: a solid backup with potential to start inside
Biggest strengths: burst 90th%, powerful hands despite biggest weakness below
Biggest weaknesses: poor overall strength score 2nd%
Biggest question: where does he fit inside? Is he a 1, 2, or 3 technique?
Biggest stat: recorded 23 hurries senior year
Rookie Thoughts: Will be interesting to see who out of him and Farrell climbs higher as a rookie.

Thayer Munford
Comparisons: Jeff Otah, Colton McKivitz. McKivitz saw decent time as a rookie before playing in one game with the 49ers in 2021 and then joining IR. Otah played two solid seasons with Carolina, started 29 games, and posted a 14 career AV.
What he is now: rotational Guard
What he could be: average starter at the OG
Biggest strengths: experience and versatility
Biggest weaknesses: very poor speed and burst scores
Biggest question: how long before he’s pushing for time in the rotation?
Biggest stat: allowed 1 sack and 1 QB hit over his final 700 snaps in college.
Rookie Thoughts: Munford seems to be good value, and he could push for playing time from very early on.

Brittain Brown
Comparisons: Joseph Randle. Randle played 35 games, started 8, and scored 9 TDs in three seasons with Dallas.
What he is now: on the roster bubble
What he could be: special teamer, will need to round out his game to be on the field on offense
Biggest strength: strong lower body
Biggest weaknesses: pass blocking
Biggest stat: posted 600+ yards from scrimmage in three separate seasons in college.
Biggest question: can he stay healthy and make a strong impression in camp?
Rookie Thoughts: It's hard for me to see Brown making the roster.

 

Our picks were solid, rotational, depth pieces.

- I'm intrigued by the White pick. Power with speed to take it to the house.
- Parham? Versatility... Can play center and could move James to guard.
- Munford could spell Parker to the pine.
- Farrell..Ted Washington anyone?
- Butler can start as a situational player then can go from there.
- Brown is just a pick though he looks like poor man's Jacobs.

Needs are still linebackers and a second or main solid corner. Can't count on Mullen for a full season. Ya-Sin still remains to be seen as an opposite corner.

 

Raiders UDFA

Ranked by how excited I am about them.

CB Sam Webb 5.81 average backup or special teamer. Fast, can play press man coverage eventually. Could make roster as a special teamer. CB is a position of need for LV.

QB Chase Garbers is a competent passer and hard runner. He accounted for 61 TDs in 35 games at Cal. Would be a good third QB.

DL Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa ran a 4.81 40, was a top 100 UDFA according to PFF. Biggest drawback: he’s a tweener at 6’2” and about 270. Could go to practice squad.

LB Darien Butler was 55th on PFF's list of UDFA. His senior season at ASU was pretty awesome - 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 INTs, 3 PD, and 2 sacks. Small but could make it as a cover LB. Practice squad candidate.

S Qwynnterrio Cole was the 89th UDFA on PFF. His 40 time was poor (4.88), but he plays hard and fast. A thumper. Given his position, he could make the roster.

OL Bamidele Olaseni is massive at 6'7" to 6'8" and 330-339 pounds. He’s 26, but he’s raw. Growing up in England, he played basketball and soccer. Definitely needs to be stashed.

OLB Zach VanValkenburg. Maybe he’s an Edge; lined up in a down stance a lot at Iowa. I don’t see the burst to make it in the NFL as an edge rusher.

 

Anybody but Nathan Peterman...

 

Raiders add Cole, move Edwards


WRs...(league rank). This would be the best receiving corps the Raiders have fielded in a long time. And when you add in Waller, it will be the best pass catching crew Carr has ever had. Easily.

#2 Davante Adams A+
Has averaged 97 receptions, 1199 yares, and 11.5 TDs per season over the last six seasons. Made the Pro Bowl five times and was an all-pro the past two seasons. Has posetd a 92+ grade at PFF the past two seasons. That's crazy.

#10 Hunter Renfrow A
From a 5th round pick to a surprise rookie season to a 100-reception guy, Renfrow has been everything Clemson knew he could be. After catching 103 balls for 1038 yards and 9 TDs, Renfrow made the Pro Bowl. His lowest PRWT was 106.8, and he was at 120.6 last year.

#57 Keelan Cole
Has never posted WR1 numbers, but his lows are 24 receptions, 361 yards, and a TD. His PRWT was only 58.4 last season, but it was 98.8 and 118.9 in the two prior. 64-66 PFF past three seasons.

#97 Mack Hollins
Hollins scored 4 times on 14 receptions last season, but that was a bit of an anomaly. He's been at 98+ PRWT guy the past two seasons, but he was at only 61.0 the season prior. 50-58 PFF.

#111. Demarcus Robinson
Robinson has caught between 21 and 45 balls each of the past five seasons, has totaled 1679 yards, and has 14 TDs. His career average of 17.3 yards per reception is excellent. His PRWT has been below 100 only once of the last four seasons - at 93.7 in 2019. 51-63 PFF.

It's going to be a challenge for another WR to crack the squad unless they're a special teams standout. The first three guys listed here all seem to have a shot given their ability to contribute in different facets.

Tyron Johnson
After catching 20 balls for 398 yards and 3 TDs in 12 games with the Chargers in 2020, Johnson joined the Raiders halfway through the 2021 season. He has great speed, but he hasn't been a consistent threat in the return game (sub 20 yards per return).

Justin Hall
Rookie who had a big year with Ball State in 2021. 61-613-5 receiving, 37-255-6 rushing, 11-380-1 on kick returns, and 10-120 on punt returns. That's 1368 yards and 12 TDs. Reportedly ran sub 4.50.

Dillon Stoner
Stoner got work on special teams last season as a rookie. Not much of a returner in college, but he did post some respectable receiving numbers at Oklahoma State.

DJ Turner
Practice squad guy for the Raiders, solid punt returner in college at Pitt. So-so speed. Seems like a longshot.

Tre Turner
Rookie from TTU who posted respectable receiving numbers. Under 190 pounds and runs a 4.51 with no real return man contributions.

 

^I say Robinson starts unless someone of note drops into our laps.

 

Tre' Turner was waived.

 

Running Back

Josh Jacobs
Jacobs got off to a slow start last season, but he finished strong. He eclipsed the 1200 yards from scrimmage mark for the third straight season, totaling career highs in receptions (54), yards receiving (348), and he didn't stop in his first postseason game (17 touches, 127 yards). With his fifth-year option declined, it's a prove it season for Jacobs. He has everything to gain. He’s also the clear favorite to start at RB for LV.

Jakob Johnson FB
He's a load at 6'3" 255, and he's mostly a blocker. In three seasons with the Pats, he started 20 games, rushed zero times, and caught 13 of 16 targets for 83 yards and a TD. Presumably, the Raiders will use a FB, so Johnson seems close to a roster lock.

Kenyan Drake
Drake was just getting things going for the Raiders when he suffered an ugly injury. Through 12 games he had 254 yards on the ground, 291 through the air, and a total of 3 TDs. After rolling up an average of more than 1000 yards from scrimmage and 9 TDs per season from 2018-2020, that was a disappointment. As injuries and mileage increase, his status on the roster is not certain.

Zamir White
White is an imposing physical presence - 6', 214 pounds, 4.40, 95th percentile speed score, and he got stronger each season at Georgia. He's coming into the NFL with lighter usage - like Jacobs - never posting more than 169 touches per season. If he's healthy, he'll be on the field, and he'll make the running game easier for his teammates late in games. He has some work to do in pass blocking and needs to show he can handle the pass catching reps. But there’s no reason why he can’t be on the field on first and second down, short yardage situations, from day 1.

Ameer Abdullah
He's 29 this season, but he's never received a heavy workload. His major work in recent years has been in the passing game. Last season, he was targeted 53 times, going for 289 yards and a TD. He doesn't break a lot of tackles, doesn't average much per carry, but he can also contribute in the return game - he had 646 KO return yards last season. That versatility helps him, but it could be a shootout between him and Drake for backup RB.

Brandon Bolden
Bolden will be 32, the oldest RB on roster for the Raiders. He's also been remarkably effective in limited usage. His career 4.6 yard per carry average is excellent, and he's been at 4.5+ each of the past four seasons (well, he missed 2020). He grabbed 41 passes for 405 yards and 2 TDs for the Pats last season. His PRWT has been between 106 and 124, too. He might be the best receiver in the group. He’s a dark horse candidate to steal third down reps.

Brittain Brown
Brown is a one cut player who gets up to his top speed quickly. He offers something in the run game (6+ yards per carry his last two seasons in college), in the receiving game (18-129 as a senior), and he found the endzone 23 times in his career. His pass protection could keep him not just off the field but off the roster. So, it’s worth seeing how he progresses in that area.

Sincere McCormick
McCormick piled up monstrous numbers in college, with nearly 800 touches, 4438 yards, and 35 TDs. He's stronger and faster than Brown. His size is, however, limited, and at only 5’8 to 5’9, it could be difficult to generate the leverage to slow pass rushers.

 

^Interested to see what White can contribute to the running game. I think your first four are locks.

 

That's what I'm thinking, gcc. He can start off as a short yardage plug in, and if he can develop his pass blocking, he could take a full series or two a game. With Jacobs, White, and Drake - that would be a strong backfield.

 

A lot of options and decisions to make on the OL.

C
**Andre James
Someone knew what they were doing when they extended James. Despite taking no snaps on offense in 2020 and just 116 in his career, he was slotted in to replace Rodney Hudson for the 2021 season. He responded by taking every offensive snap (1140), allowing only 2 sacks, and posting a 64.1 PFF grade.

G
*Alex Leatherwood
Every LV fan knows about the Leatherwood saga. Drafted in the first round as a tackle, he ended up being an almost respectable guard. His 1105 snaps were 97% of the team's offensive snaps. The problems were his 8 sacks allowed (2nd most) and 14 penalties (3rd most).

*John Simpson
Simpson stepped into a starting role last season, played in all 17 regular season games, appeared on 98% of the team's offensive snaps, and allowed only 3 sacks (tied for 28th) but 10 penalties. His PFF grade was up a nice chunk from 2020, but it was still very average.

*Denzelle Good
Good fought his way to a starting gig with the Colts before moving on and doing the same thing with the Raiders. He racked up 14 starts and an 8 AV in 2020 before suffering season-ending injury in week 1 of 2021. He has had PFF grades mostly between 50 and 65 (and almost 70 as a rookie). He has shown the ability to be an adequate starter.

*Thayer Munford
Munford could step in and play earlier than Parham even if his ceiling may not be as high. He'll be locked inside at G.

Lester Cotton has spent parts of two seasons on the active roster with the Raiders, but he has lined up for just 5 snaps on offense and another 7 on special teams. He has great size, but mobility has always been a concern.

OL
*Dylan Parham
Parham has the pedigree to become an average starter in the NFL. He could fill in at either G or T given his speed. While his versatility could be a plus, it might make more sense to slot him in at only one position and let him get reps as a backup.

*Jermaine Eluemunor
After two seasons with Baltimore and two more with the Pats, Eluemenor played 14 games with the Raiders in 2021. He has never played more than 420 snaps, but he's been good depth. He has been below 50 on PFF's grading in only one season, and he has been as high as 68 with the Pats.

Alex Bars
Bars has appeared in 38 games, making 11 starts, all for the Bears. He showed reasonably well in 2020, with a 55.6 PFF grade, 2 penalties, and 1 sack allowed in 568 snaps. Last year was not quite as good.

Hroniss Grasu
Grasu didn't play last season, but he spent five seasons with three different teams from 2015-2020, appeared in 27 games, and started 16. Unfortunately, his numbers have never been better than a plug-in backup.

Jordan Meredith
Meredith was drafted by the Rams but didn't appear in any games.

T
**Kolton Miller
The once-maligned first round pick is now widely regarded as at least a solid Tackle. He has played through injuries, missing only 2 games in four seasons, and taking 100% of the snaps in all the games he appeared in for the past three seasons. His PFF grade has improved from 50 to 65 to 73 to 84. He allowed only four sacks on 1139 snaps and is the leader of that offensive front.

*Brandon Parker
Parker has largely gone in the opposite direction of Miller. Once regarded as a promising value pick, he simply hasn't shown enough, despite plenty of chances. He has now started 32 games across four seasons. In two of those seasons, he has appeared in at least 77% of the team's offensive snaps. Last year was the first time he posted a 50+ pff rating - at 55.8.

Jackson Barton
Barton took six snaps last season. That was the first NFL action for the now 27 year old.

Tyrone Wheatley
Junior has the pedigree and athleticism to make it happen. But he's not managed to land on the field yet at age 25.

Bamidele Olaseni
He screams practice squad or possibly developmental league (depending what happens on that front; I don't know the specifics). He's just gigantic - like bigger than Lincoln Kennedy. But he's 26 and relatively new to football.

I've put an asterisk by the nine OL I think they'll keep. And I doubled up on the locks.
I think the biggest question for me is whether Simpson is ready to make the leap into the rotation.