The Las Vegas Raiders certainly didn’t shy away from making big moves this offseason. One of their most underrated moves, however, was signing John Brown to a one-year, $3.7 million contract this offseason.
Brown is a very solid receiver who the Raiders are getting on a budget. He will add experience and talent to the young Raiders’ wide receiver room. Let’s take a closer look at what Brown will bring to Las Vegas in 2021.
The Raiders needed a veteran receiver
After losing Nelson Agholor to free agency, the Raiders were looking at an extremely young receiving core. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it was clear heading into this offseason, that the Raiders were in need of a veteran receiver with both talent and leadership.
Brown brings just that. At the ripe age of 31, the Silver and Black will be the fourth different uniform Brown has worn in his career. He spent four years with the Cardinals, then added a year with the Ravens and two with the Bills, where he played some of the best football of his career.
Brown understands his role among his young teammates this year.
“The offense is set up nicely and I just wanted to be a part of it… I know this is a team that is up and coming and they’re building, so I felt like I could help out“, Brown said during voluntary OTA’s in June. Brown will make an impact on the Raiders receivers’ room this year in many ways, but a large part of that will be his mentorship which will help Vegas’s young core tremendously.
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Brown brings production to the wide receiver room
Last year, Agholor carried the load among the Raiders’ receivers. He bolted as soon as the offseason began, leaving the Raiders with a substantial hole to fill. Brown is no superstar, but he is a well above-average receiver who can make an immediate impact when necessary.
In his last complete season in 2019, Brown put up 1,060 yards and six touchdowns on 72 catches. In that same year, Brown had an astounding 14.7 yards per reception, with a solid 62% catch rate, while averaging around 70 yards per game. That season was the first, and only year of Brown’s entire career in which he’s had the luxury of being labeled his teams’ number one receiver. In that season, he put up some very impressive numbers. Even when taking on a smaller roles earlier in his career, he has shown the ability to produce.
What can Brown can do for you?
In 2019, Brown was tasked with the WR1 role, and he put up superb numbers. He won’t be given that role with the Raiders, but the fact that he can handle it will make Raider Nation very confident. Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards will likely be the starting receiver duo, and with Hunter Renfrow in the picture as well, Brown will likely only see about 20-30 snaps per game. That number is enough for Brown to make an impact though, and I expect him to. A reasonable expectation for Brown’s 2021 season would include about 30-40 receptions, 550-650 yards, and a couple of touchdowns.
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