Las Vegas Raiders: 5 Dream targets in 2021 NFL free agency
By Joe Kipp
These five free agents would be dream signings for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.
The current Jon Gruden era is still up for debate, but there’s no doubt the pressure is starting to mount for the Las Vegas Raiders‘ head coach. After another mediocre season in 2020, perhaps the Raiders should look at bolstering their roster with some marquee free agent additions.
The Raiders finished with a record of 8-8 last season in their first season in Las Vegas. While it wasn’t the debut campaign fans may have wanted, there were still plenty of encouraging signs from the silver and black.
Still, the Raiders haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, so eventually we’ll need to start seeing some results from Gruden and Co. As of March 3, the Raiders have roughly $9 million in cap space. Maybe one of these five free agents could help drag Vegas back into the postseason in 2021.
5. Allen Robinson, WR
The Raiders lack a legitimate No. 1 receiver despite drafting Henry Ruggs in the first round last year. Ruggs is more of a vertical threat who opens up the rest of the passing game, as opposed to a traditional X receiver.
Allen Robinson would be an immediate impact signing for the Las Vegas offense. The Bears haven’t committed to re-signing Robinson and it appears unlikely that he’ll re-sign in Chicago. Additionally, the Raiders just released Tyrell Williams, who was supposed to have been the team’s No. 1 receiver after signing a lucrative deal in free agency just two seasons ago.
Adding Robinson, who’s posted two straight seasons of 1,000 yards and turns 28 years old in August, would give Derek Carr and the Raiders offense a massive boost in the passing game. Carr looked excellent at times last season, posting a career-best 101.4 passer rating. He just needs that go-to impact player on the outside to finally take his game to the next level.