Raiders need Henry Ruggs for chance at AFC surprise

The Raiders are looking to make waves in their first season in Sin City. If they’re going to do so, Henry Ruggs has to be the centerpiece of the passing game.

On Monday, Raiders fans were given a scare when the report of an off-field injury to the No. 12 overall pick came down. Ruggs was apparently moving furniture when his thigh got pinned badly enough to require medical attention. Per AL.com:

“He was trying to move a trailer or something — move furniture or something — and the trailer just kind of pinned him against a car or a wall or something,” Henry Ruggs Jr. said. “He’s pretty much OK, I’m about to go out there and see him in a little bit. It was just like a little open wound on his leg, a little incision. Like something had stuck him right there on his thigh a little bit.”

While the injury is being deemed minor, it remains a concern until proven otherwise come training camp. Ruggs’ biggest asset is his absurd explosiveness and speed. Those are the traits that made him an elite deep threat at the University of Alabama. During his time with the Crimson Tide, Ruggs caught 98 passes for 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns. As well as that, he had 11 scores as a sophomore.

In Las Vegas, Ruggs figures to slot in as the top weapon on an offense desperate for a playmaker. Last season, it was Alabama rookie running back Josh Jacobs who lit up the league, going for better than 1,000 yards and finishing second in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year balloting. Now, Ruggs is believed to be a force on the perimeter, pairing with the likes of veteran Tyrell Williams, second-year slot man Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller.

While it remains a long shot for the Raiders to catch the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, a revamped passing game could mean the difference between a lost season and a fight for a wild card berth. Without question, Ruggs will need to give quarterback Derek Carr a viable option for the long ball, something which opens up both the quick strike and room for Waller and Renfrow to work.

For years, the Raiders had been about taking what they wanted — not what the defense gave them — in the famous words of the late Al Davis. With Ruggs, it should be back to the old way of thinking, even if it’s in a new city.