Acquiring a star wide receiver is always tempting but should the Las Vegas Raiders kick the tires on Julio Jones with the NFL draft upon us?
The wide receiver position has been contentious this offseason for many fans on social media. On one hand, the Siver and Black have a young and speedy receiver corps. If healthy, Bryan Edwards can prove this season why he was so heralded as a draft steal last year. Henry Ruggs III proved he can stretch the field and is more than capable of making the big play downfield. Even though Nelson Agholor’s gone, the organization replaced him with former Buffalo Bill, John Brown. Hunter Renfrow is a reliable receiver who continuously helps move the chains, all in all, it’s a group with upside. The question is, would adding Jones benefit this young group?
Strictly from a statistical point of view, Jones has proven to be a star in this league. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, the Raiders haven’t had that caliber of a receiver in a long time. Per Pro Football Focus, Jones earned good grades across the board despite only playing nine games, his lowest since 2013. He ended the 2020 season with an 86.3 overall grade and 84.9 in the receiving department.
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Are the Raiders in the market for Jones?
We’ve heard rumors regarding Jones and the Raiders in the past, that’s nothing new. However, Peter King recently reported that the Atlanta Falcons are shopping Jones meaning Las Vegas could be in the running.
The wide receiver position for the Raiders is currently very crowded, to say the least. It’s a very young group that has a ton of speed but not much in the way of proven talent, save for Brown. Adding Jones would be huge if he can stay healthy, he’s missed 14 games in the last three years. His health should be the biggest red flag and with the team rebuilding, their draft capital is much too valuable to give up for a receive possibly past his prime.
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