The Las Vegas Raiders were lucky enough to get some serious reinforcements this late in the season when they signed wide receiver DeSean Jackson. The three-time Pro Bowler is 34-years-old but is still a serious deep threat, which is exactly what the team needed. Jackson likely could’ve found other suitors in free agency but found the Raiders appealing for a number of reasons.
A big reason he wanted to head to Las Vegas was thanks to quarterback Derek Carr. He’s currently third in the NFL with 2,565 passing yards and could get serious MVP consideration if the Raiders make the playoffs. Jackson has been familiar with Carr for years and praised the quarterback’s ability in his first comments since joining the team.
“Obviously having Derek Carr at quarterback – I’ve been able to see him do some special things in his career, obviously going back to his rookie year,” Jackson said of Carr after Wednesday’s practice. “His arm strength, his big-play ability, his toughness, his swagger. His intangibles to be a quarterback, I think he has all the great things in a quarterback that you could ask for.
“Having that playmaking ability for myself and obviously, a quarterback that can get the ball down the field, is huge. Because there were other options out there but I was very confident in the situation that he’s able to get the ball down the field.”
Many forgot about Carr’s arm talent over the last few years as the lack of deep threats on the Raiders led to him focusing on the short passing game. He started to sling the ball a lot more last season with Nelson Agholor and now he could do the same with Jackson. The team shouldn’t expect too much from the veteran wide receiver but he’ll be good for a few deep shots, at the very least.
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Rich Bisaccia Talks Jackson Signing
GettyDeSean Jackson is his last appearance as a Los Angeles Ram before their game versus the New York Giants in Week 6.
The Raiders had a desperate need for a deep threat at wide receiver and were lucky that the Los Angeles Rams decided to release Jackson. The team decided to strike a deal with him shortly after the 23-16 loss to the New York Giants. Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia had a chance to discuss what went into the signing and how Jackson reacted to the idea of playing for the Raiders.
“First, he was available,” Bisaccia said of the Jackson signing. “And that he can still really run. … He was with the Rams so he’s been a part of our offense to some degree. The verbiage, some of the terminology, some of the concepts – so we thought he’d be well versed with a little bit. And we had a really good Zoom call with him.
“Our offensive staff and myself had a great Zoom call with him on Saturday and felt that he was sincerely looking for an opportunity to keep playing and was excited about being able to do it with us and to play with Derek Carr.”
Jackson Plans to Make Debut Against Chiefs
The Raiders need Jackson on the field as soon as possible. The team is tied with the Los Angeles Chargers for the AFC West lead at 5-3. Las Vegas can’t afford another dud on offense against a rival Kansas City Chiefs team on Sunday.
Luckily, he should be ready to go. Jackson revealed that the plan is for him to play against the Chiefs. Kanas City’s defense has been a mess this season so Jackson should be a focal point for the offense early. It’s unlikely he sees a ton of snaps but he’ll get a chance to make some play.
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New Raiders WR DeSean Jackson Delivers Strong Statement on Derek Carr