Raiders Announce Signing of Former Controversial Bears WR

javon wims

Getty New Las Vegas Raiders WR Javon Wims.

The Las Vegas Raiders recently lost some wide receiver depth this week when the Denver Broncos poached David Moore off their practice squad. He hadn’t played in a game yet but could’ve been valuable if the wide receiver group on the active roster got hit with injuries. The team has decided to replace him with another veteran at the position.

The Raiders announced the signing of former Chicago Bears wide receiver Javon Wims to the practice squad.

Wims came into the NFL in 2018 when he was a seventh-round draft pick by the Bears. He ended up spending four seasons with the team, including six starts in 2019. In 33 games with the team, he caught 56 balls for 266 yards and two touchdowns. He’s got solid size at 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds. Wims hasn’t been overwhelming productive but he’ll bring a decent amount of experience to the practice squad with Moore off to Denver. While Mims lasted three years in Chicago, he developed some haters during his time there.

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Wims Had Some Issues in Chicago

The Bears are one of the most historic franchises in the NFL but have had a hard time getting over the hump in recent years. That’s mostly been due to incompetence on offense holding back a good defense. Unfortunately, Wims has been part of those offensive struggles. During last year’s Wild Card playoff game against the New Orleans Saints, he dropped a perfectly placed touchdown pass.

The Bears ended up losing that 21-9. Perhaps if Wims caught that pass, the game would’ve gone a different way. That’s not the only controversial game he had as a Bear. Last season, Wims tried to punch Saints defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the face after a play. The problem? Gardner-Johnson was wearing his helmet so the only player who likely felt the pain from the strike was Wims.

He ended up getting kicked out of the game and suspended for two more. If the Raiders plan to play Wims at all this season, they’ll be hoping he doesn’t have any similar gaffes.


Bryan Edwards & Henry Ruggs Stepping up for Raiders

Luckily for the Raiders, they shouldn’t be needing to add any wide receivers soon. They’re the only team in the NFL with four players with over 200 receiving yards in Bryan Edwards, Henry Ruggs, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller. Renfrow and Waller have been consistent for the Raiders but the emergence of Ruggs and Edwards has been a big deal.

“I’m always going to be confident in those guys,” head coach Jon Gruden said of Ruggs and Edwards after Sunday’s 31-28 win over the Miami Dolphins. “We were confident on draft day. All they have to do is keep playing and keep taking advantage of their at-bats. Both of those guys had big days today against one of the better secondaries in pro football. The fun thing for me is I see these young guys really coming alive. I see a different look in their eyes. I see a different confidence.”

The most exciting thing for the Raiders is that those two should continue to get better. If that ends up being the case, the team has one of the best passing attacks in the NFL.

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