After the Las Vegas Raiders double dipped at wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, the team could decide to part ways with veteran Tyrell Williams.
Williams suffered from an imperfect storm last year. From the moment Antonio Brown quit on the Raiders, the expectations surrounding the former Chargers wide receiver increased. To make matters worse, he just couldn’t stay healthy in 2019.
The Raiders Now Have Depth at the Position
Williams ended the year with a respectable output but not the kind to be expected from a featured wide receiver: 42 receptions, for 651 yards and six touchdowns. Considering that he did so while suffering plantar fasciitis, his effort and drive should not be taken lightly. However, the Raiders weren’t able to wait for or count on him to become the team’s leading receiver so they drafted Henry Ruggs III out of Alabama and South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards.
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The Raiders wide receiver corps will be a crowded bunch in 2020. Besides the rookies and Williams, Hunter Renfrow should be even more involved after seeing his production increase towards the end of last season. Likewise, Nelson Agholor is likely going to get a legit chance to make the team while Zay Jones won’t have much room for error.
What’s Next for Williams?
It may be too late to cut Williams as his salary became fully guaranteed on the third day of the league year. However, in a room full of wide receivers with some sort of incentive to give their best, William might be the odd man out. If the Raiders decided to part ways with Williams, they could get a draft pick in exchange him.
If the Raiders see that their young wide receivers are steadily improving and are ready to take on a bigger load, they would need to make a decision about Williams. It wouldn’t just make sense for the Raiders to take snaps away from the youngsters if he isn’t a high-end contributor. Currently, the veteran is far from old but his teammates are younger and may have a higher ceiling.
In a league where a “what have you done for me lately?” mentality is the norm, Williams could be part of trade talks. He’s shown he can perform, but the Raiders are loaded at wide receiver, which could make Williams the odd man out.
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Top Photo: Doug McShooler/Associated Press
