All signs point to the Las Vegas Raiders building on 2019’s 7-9 record. Former team great Charles Woodson believes the offense could be explosive this season.
For a lack of a better term, the Raiders offense was lackluster in 2019, no matter how some people will try to spin numbers. There were definitely some bright spots, that is certainly true. Rookie wide receiver Hunter Renfrow emerged as a reliable option and a tough player willing to leave it all out there despite an injury. Tight end Darren Waller arose as quarterback Derek Carr’s favorite target. Veteran Tyrell Williams showed flashes as a scoring machine via the air early on before plantar fasciitis derailed his start. To top it off, rookie running back Josh Jacobs materialized as a potential franchise player for the Silver and Black.
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Raiders: In One Word, Explosive
Add those bright spots to the haul the Raiders walked away with after April’s NFL Draft and you have something special brewing. Woodson recently shared his thoughts on what this Raiders offense could potentially accomplish.
“Offensively, they’re all different types of guys, man,” Woodson elaborated via the team’s official website. This is very true, the versatility Raiders head coach Jon Gruden now has thanks to their draft class is intriguing. In Lynn Bowden Jr, you have a player who can literally do it all, from passing to running to catching and everything in between. Bryan Edwards is a big, fast, and reliable receiver who was seen as a first-round talent by the team. And of course, we have Henry Ruggs III, who will be the key in opening up this Raiders offense in 2020.
“They’re guys you can do different things with and I kind of got excited about adding those guys to Josh Jacobs, [Darren] Waller and Derek Carr. I think offensively they have a chance to be explosive and defensively I think, they brought in [Cory] Littleton from the Rams, he’s going to be a key. I think they’re going to have to gel as a defense and some young guys are going to have to step up and make some plays for that defense, but offensively I think they have a chance to be explosive.”
Woodson is right on the money if you go by what Carr, Waller, and Jacobs accomplished last year and tack on more talent. He was sure to mention that just as big as that draft class was the signing of Cory Littleton, which will help the defense tremendously, and in turn, help the offense. It goes without saying that the Raiders’ 2020 draft class will need to deliver out of the gate.
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