Getty Former Las Vegas Raiders WR Nelson Agholor.
For the first time in years, the Las Vegas Raiders are set to have a very good wide receiver corps. Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow are the headliners as they both got paid this offseason and have Pro Bowl pedigrees. The battle for the No. 3 wide receiver will be interesting to watch this offseason.
DeMarcus Robinson and Keelan Cole are the favorites for the spot but the Raiders could want more speed. One of the best wide receivers who has played with the team in recent years was Nelson Agholor. In his one season in Las Vegas, Agholor led the team’s wide receivers in receiving yards with 896 and averaged an impressive 18.7 yards per reception.
He had amazing rapport with quarterback Derek Carr and he was one of the best deep threats in the NFL that season. Instead of re-signing with the Raiders after the 2020 season, Agholor signed with the New England Patriots and saw his numbers decline. He dropped to 473 receiving yards and only averaged 12.8 yards per reception. Due to the disappointing season, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report is predicting that Agholor will get cut by the Patriots:
With the addition of wideout DeVante Parker, whom New England acquired from the Miami Dolphins, and rookie seconder Tyquan Thornton, the Patriots may have written enough on the wall to signal Agholor’s departure in the coming weeks.
However, some people may see this move as a surprise because the Patriots will hold $10 million in dead money if they release Agholor, per Over the Cap. He’s more likely to restructure his deal or become the subject of a trade.
Nevertheless, New England may opt to cut Agholor and save approximately $4.9 million if team brass cannot find a trade partner for him. He may also push back against a pay cut.
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Agholor Makes a Lot of Sense for Raiders if Available
The Raiders don’t need wide receivers. Renfrow and Adams are one of the best duos in the NFL on paper while Cole and Robinson are capable third and fourth options. That said, if Las Vegas believes they can compete for a Super Bowl this season, they need to add talent if it’s available. Agholor would be an excellent third option.
As good as Adams and Renfrow are, they don’t possess the speed that Agholor does. Plus, he just spent a year in Josh McDaniels‘ offense so it wouldn’t be a steep learning curve. If he gets cut this late in the offseason, his asking price won’t be high so the Raiders should be able to afford him.
NELSON AGHOLOR CATCHING EVERYTHING☠️
Adding a Deep Threat Would Be Wise
Adams and Robinson are two players who can win deep but neither possess elite speed. Adding another wide receiver with more straight-line speed would only help the offense. Carr has shown in the past that he can make plays down the field if he has a speedy wide receiver.
Adding a speedster might not make a huge difference but it can only help. Getting a few easy, quick touchdowns are necessary in the modern NFL.
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