[ad_1]
Getty
Free agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.
It’s removed from a secret that the Las Vegas Raiders want to enhance on protection. The crew hasn’t fielded an awesome protection in over a decade and that should change in the event that they hope to win a Tremendous Bowl anytime quickly. Whereas it’s apparent that the crew ought to use 90% of their cap house and draft picks on defensive gamers this offseason, it will possibly’t be dominated out that Jon Gruden goes to spend large cash on an offensive weapon.
A current report got here out that linked the Raiders to Pittsburgh Steelers free agent JuJu Smith-Schuster. They’re apparently “very ” in him as a participant. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added extra context to what precisely the crew likes in regards to the huge receiver.
“I do suppose the Steelers can have productive talks with him, attempt to preserve Smith-Schuster. Large Ben would like to have him again. However I do know the Raiders like his sport, his toughness,” Fowler stated just lately, via Bleacher Report. “They might add a brand new dimension there. Smith-Schuster can do plenty of various things on offense for Derek Carr and that assault. And the Jets I imagine will have a look at him as effectively. Nelson Agholor, although, with the Raiders they actually like him and will attempt to preserve him.”
It’s simple to see why the Raiders would love Smith-Schuster. He’s solely 24-years-old and has plenty of star energy with youthful followers. Additionally, Gruden desires to have an elite huge receiver corps and that hasn’t occurred since he got here again in 2018. Smith-Schuster was an elite receiver in 2018 however he hasn’t cracked 1,000 yards prior to now two seasons. It’s onerous to know the way a lot of his success needed to do with the truth that he lined up with Antonio Brown throughout his first two seasons.
ALL the most recent Raiders information straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Raiders newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Raiders Newsletter!
Smith-Schuster Might Demand Large Cash
If the Raiders may get Smith-Schuster at $10 million a 12 months, then it could possibly be a superb transfer. Nonetheless, Spotrac believes he’s value over $16 million a 12 months. That’s far more than the crew ought to pay for a place that isn’t a giant want.
Additionally, Smith-Schuster is an effective participant however he’s not elite. The upcoming free-agent class has elite huge receivers like Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson. If the Raiders are going to spend large, they could as effectively go after one of many superstars.
VideoVideo associated to raiders like ‘sport’ & ‘toughness’ of star free agent wr: report2021-02-16T13:10:37-05:00
Re-Signing Agholor Is Higher Transfer
Smith-Schuster is an effective participant however he’s not value $16 million a 12 months to the Raiders. They’ve far more urgent wants. That $16 million could possibly be used to signal a star defensive lineman like Leonard Williams or Yannick Ngakoue.
If Las Vegas really feels prefer it wants extra expertise at huge receiver, they need to simply work out the way to keep Agholor. He had 896 receiving yards in 2020 in comparison with Smith-Schuster’s 831. Agholor additionally averaged 18.7 yards per catch whereas the Steelers huge receiver averaged 8.6. The Raiders don’t actually need a slot receiver, which is the position that Smith-Schuster principally fills. Signing Agholor at $10 million a 12 months could be a significantly better transfer than spending $16 million a 12 months on a large receiver who was arguably much less productive in 2020.
READ NEXT: Raiders’ Darren Waller Puts Chiefs on Notice With Bold Claim
[ad_2]
Source link
