Oakland Raiders: Best Wide Receiver Isn’t On Roster Yet

If you take an honest look back at the 2014 season for the Oakland Raiders, you can’t help but notice the fact that they struggled in the passing game. The measure of success when it comes to receiving in the NFL is generally around 1,000 yards receiving and close to double-digit touchdowns by at least one wideout.

December 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes (18) is tackled by Buffalo Bills cornerback Ron Brooks (33) during the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Raiders never got close to those numbers; their best effort in terms of receiving yards was Andre Holmes (693). In terms of touchdown receptions, James Jones led the team with six scores.

These numbers were part of the reason why Oakland ranked just 26th in the league in passing last year. And it is why if the Raiders needed to focus on anything for 2015, it was the passing attack. Unfortunately for Oakland, it didn’t seem that anyone really wanted to play for them in terms of free agency. They tried to throw millions of dollars towards guys with last names of Maclin, Smith and Cobb but they went elsewhere. Sure there are second tier receivers out there, but they already have similar talent on their roster. They need a number one talent at receiver badly.

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When it comes to the NFL, a team that can’t pass efficiently in the today’s game will struggle to succeed. As evidence of that one just needs to look at the top and bottom teams in quarterback rating from 2014, per ESPN.com. Seven of the eight division winning teams were in the top eight in quarterback rating, the lone exception being the Carolina Panthers who finished under .500 in a bad division. The bottom five teams? Tampa Bay, N.Y. Jets, Oakland, Cleveland and Jacksonville. You can’t win in today’s NFL with defense and running alone, and the Raiders play in a division known lately for scoring: Denver and San Diego where in the top 10 in passing touchdowns and per game passing yardage.

Dec 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) runs the ball during the second quarter of the 2014 SEC Championship Game against the Missouri Tigers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

The only option Oakland has now is to go all out with their top draft picks and grab a game changing wide receiver in the draft. There are several options that they will be able to choose from. Amari Cooper from Alabama is many experts can’t-miss guy, but there are other players that could be just as good in Kevin White from West Virginia and DeVante Parker from Louisville. Even the bottom of the first round has a lot of potential at the position with Jaelen Strong and Devin Smith.

There isn’t a reason to think that Oakland wouldn’t try and trade for a great receiver as well. Could they pry away a guy in the first few weeks of the season? Maybe a player with a big cap number next year, or a team looking to salvage something for a bad fit? The Raiders can’t afford to overlook anything as an option; they are not in the position to pass up a chance at upgrading, as they are close to having a complete team for the first time in years.

Whether it’s the draft, a trade or something else all together, there is no doubt what Oakland must do if they want to compete in 2015. They must bring in a top-tier receiver. They don’t have one on their team as of now, and it will be something they will regret if they miss the playoffs yet again.

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