Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Javon Wims.
Heading into the offseason, wide receiver might be the biggest need for the Las Vegas Raiders. Hunter Renfrow and Zay Jones had good years but the team doesn’t have a clear No. 1 threat. With free agency still months away, it’s going to take some time before the Raiders know which wide receivers they’ll be able to target.
In the meantime, they’re signing a player with the hopes to develop him. The Raiders announced that they’ve signed wide receiver Javon Wims to a Reserve/Future contract.
We have signed two players to Reserve/Future contracts » t.co/HPu6vrLQ8y
Wims spent a chunk of the season on the team’s practice squad but never had the chance to suit up for a regular season game. He’s most notable for his Chicago Bears tenure. He was a seventh-round pick in 2018 and was able to make their active roster. In three seasons, Wims had 28 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns. However, he’s most notable for an on-field incident against the New Orleans Saints.
During a 2020 matchup between the two teams, Wims punched cornerback C. J. Gardner-Johnson and was ejected. He served a two-game suspension for the incident.
@BearsPR Javon Wims in Ryan paces office:
Unfortunately for Wims, he’s also famous for one of the worst drops in recent years, also against the Saints.
No player should be defined by their worst moments on the fields so perhaps he can carve out a role on the Raiders.
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Raiders Also Sign OL William Sweet
The Raiders weren’t done there with roster moves. The team also announced they’ve signed offensive lineman William Sweet to a Reserve/Futures contract. He originally came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent for the Arizona Cardinals.
Sweet has yet to play an NFL down but did spend time on the practice squads for the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. He’s got good size at 6-foot-6, 313-pounds, and has experience playing tackle. The Raiders have major needs on the offensive line so there’s certainly an opportunity to impress whichever coaching staff is leading the team next season.
Raiders Must Aggressively Address OL & WR This Offseason
The Raiders have to be feeling good about their team heading into the offseason. They surprisingly made it to the playoffs after ending the season on a four-game win streak. They also were a play away from beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.
However, that doesn’t mean this roster is perfect. The Raiders have some major issues to address this offseason. Depending on who is hired as general manager, the team needs to find improvements at both offensive guard spots and right tackle. Left tackle Kolton Miller is a stud and center Andre James improved with every game. 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood can still develop into a solid guard or tackle but a new coaching staff/front office won’t be as patient with him.
The team should also be aggressive in looking for a wide receiver. The prize of free agency is Davante Adams but there will be other good options in free agency if he proves too expensive.
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