Oakland Raiders: No need to worry about Jordy Nelson

Let’s take a closer look at Jordy Nelson’s production during the 2017 season. Did the Oakland Raiders sign a wide receiver who’s way over the hill?

When the Oakland Raiders signed wideout Jordy Nelson to a two-year deal, many saw the acquisition as a downgrade from Michael Crabtree, especially after comparing their receiving numbers from the previous year.

Raiders fans vividly remember when Crabtree finished a thrilling Week 7 Thursday Night Football showdown with a game-winning touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. They also recall him shredding the New York Jets pass defense for three scores in Week 2. The 31-year-old caught 25 touchdown passes for the Silver and Black, several in the clutch, over the past three terms.

On the other hand, Nelson finished the 2017 season with his worst receiving yards total since the 2009 term and a season-low 9.1 yards per reception. He didn’t score a touchdown in the last 11 games.

Immediately, critics took to social media to express their disproval of the move and categorized it as Gruden’s desire to bring in another old guy past his prime.

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When digging below the surface statistics, Nelson didn’t just fall off a cliff overnight. His quarterback broke his collarbone. Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury in the first quarter of Week 6, which put Brett Hundley under center with just 10 career passes on his resume.

Expectedly, Nelson’s production significantly dropped with a signal-caller who hadn’t played a meaningful game since 2014 at UCLA. The 33-year-old wide receiver actually led the league in touchdown receptions with six before Rodgers’ injury, well on his way to another solid campaign.

Strangely, there are refreshed discussions about Nelson’s ACL tear during the 2015 preseason. Will he ever be same after such a significant knee injury? Nelson already leaped that handle and racked up 97 catches for 1,257 yards and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 14 en route to winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2016.

Critics have found many ways to depict Gruden as a senile out-of-touch head coach, who prefers to do things the old-fashioned way. However, the decision to sign Nelson shouldn’t fall under that narrative.

The former Green Bay Packer has taken a hands-on approach with the young receivers, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “It’s safe to say that Nelson is more hands-on than Michael Crabtree when it comes to meetings and dealing with younger receivers.”

The 10th-year veteran could serve as an example on and off the field for the Raiders young receiving corps. Of course, sharing the field with Rodgers helps boost production, but quarterback Derek Carr can sling the football. The 27-year old isn’t Rodgers, but he’s a lot further along than Hundley.

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Nelson isn’t equipped to take the top off a defense like Amari Cooper and Martavis Bryant, but similar to Crabtree, he’s able to use his field awareness to break open in the end zone. The Pro Bowl pass-catcher has 33 touchdown catches over the past three seasons.

If Nelson builds a solid rapport with Carr through the summer, the Raiders should have a reliable 6-3, 217-pound red-zone threat. Keep tabs on him in your fantasy football leagues.

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