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Many fans were disappointed when the Las Vegas Raiders announced that they were letting go of wide receiver Rico Gafford. Though he hasn’t been that productive in his NFL career, he’s still one of the fastest guys around. Unfortunately, with Henry Ruggs on the team, it was always going to be hard for Gafford to find a role as the Raiders’ top deep threat.
Despite recently cutting him from the active roster, Gafford was able to clear waivers. Because of that, the Raiders have signed him to their practice squad.
Considering Gafford was only active for three of the Raiders’ games this season, it probably makes more sense to have him on the practice squad. Thanks to the athletic similarities he has with Ruggs, he’s a good guy to have around in case an injury is to occur. Las Vegas likes having him around and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s able to get some more time on the active roster before the season is over.
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What’s up With Ruggs?
Based on how Ruggs looked early in the season, it seemed like he was going to be a very important part of the offense. His 118-yard performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 looked like it was his coming-out party. That hasn’t been the case. Since that game, he four catches in three games for 43 yards. He’s a rookie so he definitely deserves some slack but the Raiders should try to get him more involved.
A bad call robbed him of a touchdown in Week 8 but other than that play, the team doesn’t seem like they’re trying to get him the ball much. From a production standpoint, it’s been a disappointing start for the first-round pick.
With all that said, Ruggs still deserves a lot of credit. When he’s on the field, he demands attention and there’s no doubt the offense has been better when he’s healthy. He may not have all the flashy numbers but his ability as a deep threat keeps defenses honest. Ruggs missed two games early in the season and there’s no doubt the offense played worse when he wasn’t on the field. The numbers will eventually come but Ruggs is still making an impact, regardless.
Jon Gruden Praises Nelson Agholor
While Ruggs hasn’t been putting the numbers the Raiders had hoped for, Nelson Agholor has been a revelation. The previously maligned Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver has been Derek Carr‘s top target for most of the season. Based on how his tenure ended with the Eagles, nobody saw his rise coming. Jon Gruden was probably the only one who thought this was a possibility.
“We said all along we think he’s a great receiver. He’s averaging over 20 yards per catch,” Gruden said Monday. “He had a big one against Buffalo called back, another touchdown. He runs great routes. He can play multiple positions. He’s a great down-to-down competitor and he’s a world champion.
“So he’s added leadership to us. He has a lot of speed, and he knows how to use it.”
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