While the Las Vegas Raiders had a bit of a disappointing end to the 2020 season, there is optimism they can bounce back during the 2021 season.
Defensively the Raiders know they must improve, and they will be major players when free agency officially kicks off. The 2021 NFL Draft will also be a source for them to bring in talented young players on that side of the field.
Although Las Vegas had issues getting stops, their offense was productive in head coach Jon Gruden’s second year on the sideline. Derek Carr looked much more in command on a play-by-play basis, while Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs made for a formidable one-two punch.
However, according to Levi Edwards of Raiders, general manager Mike Mayock is looking to make Nelson Agholor a mainstay of the Raiders for the foreseeable future:
“Nelly is one of my favorite people in the whole world. When I lived in Philadelphia, I did the Eagles preseason games and Nelly was an Eagle. I was familiar with his work ethic and appreciated him back then. What he brought to the Raiders last year was off the charts. He brought a work ethic, a toughness. He brought the young players along with him and he brought productivity and trust with our quarterback. All of those things he brought, we don’t want to lose. We’d love to have Nelly back. That’s a guy that I can’t tell you how much appreciation I have for.”
Agholor was a surprising bright spot for the Raiders as he was a reliable option for Carr in the passing game and had a propensity for coming down with chunk plays when they needed it. He finished the year with 896 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, career marks for a receiver that was inconsistent during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 27-year-old was a solid locker room presence and leader, and him returning would be a major boost for the Silver and Black. Agholor’s earned himself a decent payday, so it will be interesting to see if the two sides are able to agree on a deal.
