Oakland Raiders: Evaluating The WR Corps

6 of 6

Nov 9, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver James Jones (89) runs past Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib (21) after making a catch in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

James Jones – San Jose State

James Jones came back home to the Bay Area after spending the first 7 years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. The Super Bowl champ set career highs in receptions and targets as the number one receiver in Oakland after spending years as the second or third fiddle to Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb.

As a third round pick, Jones is the only member of the WR corps that is not undrafted or taken in the 7th round. He is also the undisputed leader of the group and one of the leaders of the team.

Jones was an excellent addition and gave Derek Carr a veteran presence in the offense but he desperately needs someone on the other side of the field to draw attention away from him. On paper his numbers look decent enough (73 catches, 666 yards, 6 TDs), but how many of those catches and touchdowns came in garbage time when the Raiders were already out of it.

James Jones still has to prove that he can be a number one receiver and at 31 years old his time is running out. Year two of his partnership with Carr should pay dividends as the two developed some strong chemistry last season.

After years of success and winning the ultimate prize, Jones came home to Oakland and he suffered just the second losing season of his eight year career. Hopefully he can be a key piece of the puzzle as the Oakland Raiders look to end their run of 12 years without a winning record.

Next: Oakland Raiders: Signing Michael Crabtree Is A Terrible Idea

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Las Vegas Raiders