It’s looking more and more like the Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up to use one of their early draft picks on a wide receiver. That’s not a surprise, considering their wide receiver room was one of the weakest in the NFL last season.
The Raiders did sign Jalen Nailor in free agency, but he has never proven that he can be a No. 1 wide receiver. Even if the team drafts a wide receiver in the second round, there’s still going to be questions about their depth.
If the Raiders are really committed to putting together a strong group of wide receivers, they may want to consider adding another veteran. Gilbert Manzano of Sports Illustrated listed the Raiders as the “ideal” landing spot for San Francisco 49ers free agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
“It’s puzzling that a productive playmaker with a willingness to block hasn’t found a home yet. He turns 29 in July, but maybe there’s more to this story,” Manzano wrote. “Jennings made some enemies last year with the unnecessary stunts he did on the field. Veteran defensive tackle Shelby Harris certainly isn’t a fan of Jennings. And maybe the former 49ers standout isn’t willing to play at a bargain price and would rather wait for better opportunities after the draft.
“Last season, Jennings had 55 catches for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. The year prior, Jennings delivered 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns.”
Why Hasn’t Jennings Been Signed?
It has been a trying offseason for Jennings. He was likely expecting to land with a team at this point.
He clearly thinks he’s being undervalued around the NFL. Jennings has developed into a solid No. 2 wide receiver. He’s never had more than 1,000 yards in a season, and he only had 55 catches for 643 yards last year.
Plus, Jennings doesn’t seem well-liked around the NFL. Multiple players have spoken out against him. That doesn’t mean anybody on the Raiders has a problem with him, but it can’t help his market. Klint Kubiak coached Jennings for a year when they were both with the San Francisco 49ers, so there’s familiarity there. Perhaps he’d be willing to come to the Raiders on a one-year deal and try to get a bigger contract next offseason.
Raiders Likely Done Spending Big
If Jennings is going to be an option for the Raiders, he’s not going to get a huge payday. The team has already spent most of their salary cap space, and still has a draft class to pay.
Wide receiver is a need, but Jennings isn’t productive enough to convince the Raiders to move stuff around to make room for him. While it’s never a bad thing to pair a likely rookie starting quarterback with as much wide receiver talent as possible, the Raiders are also still a rebuilding team.
Jennings is 28, so he’s not somebody who is going to be playing at a high level for several more years. It makes more sense for the Raiders to draft wide receiver talent and focus on building up young and cheap players.
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