The Las Vegas Raiders had added another piece as first-year head coach Antonio Pierce tries to resolve a difficult year for Vegas offensively behind quarterback Gardner Minshew. The news comes on the heels of Minshew’s best performance in a close 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs . Help is now on the way for the Raiders offense in the form of talented wide receiver Ramel Keyton.
The ex-Tennessee Volunteer has officially signed to the team’s active roster on a two-year deal according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero. This is a very interesting move for the Raiders who have been very shorthanded at the wideout position since trading Davante Adams to the Jets.
The Raiders have struggled at the WR position
While the Raiders’ issues with the offense’s play-calling and the quarterback position have been well-documented, Gardner Minshew and Aiden O’Connell haven’t had a ton of help from their teammates throughout the season. Las Vegas currently ranks second-last in the entire NFL in rushing, averaging only 79.0 yards a game.
To add on, the leading receiver for the Raiders is currently rookie tight end Brock Bowers. The first-round pick out of Georgia currently leads all wideouts on the roster by more than 200 yards. Adding Ramel Keyton ultimately fills a huge need for Las Vegas that they had to address immediately.
The talented wideout played at Tennessee for five years, having his best season in his last year with the Volunteers. Listed at 6-foot 2, 191 pounds, Keyton could be of great help to the Raiders’ red zone offense, which currently ranks 14th in efficiency.
Antonio Pierce and company will need Keyton to contribute right away as the Raiders are a long way from getting back into the playoff hunt at 2-6. The next three games for Las Vegas include two straight road trips to Cincinnati and Miami and then a home matchup against a very motivated Denver Broncos team.
The Raiders offense has put up only 18 points per game this year under first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. With a defense that has not been any better, giving up 26.3 points per game, the pressure is on Keyton to help fix a lot of the issues Las Vegas has had on this side of the ball.
It’s very clear Antonio Pierce is willing to make a coaching change if things don’t change soon for a franchise that hasn’t been a contender for much of this century.
