Las Vegas Raiders aren’t taking any chances. Although they have a couple of promising young wide receivers in Bryan Edwards and Henry Ruggs III, they have added veteran Willie Snead to the wide receiver room. This looks like an inconsequential move at first. However, the Silver and Black are better because of it.
The Raiders announced they signed Snead one day after Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that he had visited the team. The veteran wide receiver spent the last three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. In that span, he hauled in 126 receptions for 1,422 yards and nine touchdowns.
After going undrafted in 2014, Snead signed with the Cleveland Browns and spent time with the Carolina Panthers before joining the New Orleans Saints towards the end of the year. He wore Black and Gold for three more years and signed with the Ravens in 2018. While the Raiders already have a crowded room, there’s always room for talented players.
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What kind of impact will Willie Snead have for the Raiders in 2021?
At first sight, adding Snead seemed unnecessary but the Raiders could benefit from some competition. They recently signed John Brown and brought back Zay Jones. Furthermore, there’s third-year wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, Edwards, and Ruggs. They have depth and all of them should have a shot at competing for a starting job. On the other hand, how many of them will keep opposing defensive coordinators awake the night before game day?
You could argue that Snead or even Brown could take snaps away from the sophomores, which in turn would hinder their development. That would be true in the actual season and live situations. However, they can mentor them and push them during training camp. Also, it’s unlikely Snead signed just to sit on the bench. He surely wants to play and he wouldn’t probably mind doing it at the expense of the youngsters. If the veteran ends up winning a starting job, the Raiders would have the best wideout in the lineup. On the other hand, his presence could boost Ruggs’ and Edwards’ growth and if he ends up losing the competition, Las Vegas can easily move on from him.
Maybe that’s what Ruggs and Edwards need, some competition and if they can’t handle it, they shouldn’t be the Raiders’ top wideouts in 2021. Snead’s presence benefits everyone, but some may gain more from his signing than others. Who will it be?
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