Ruggs could face veteran competition for snaps after the Raiders signed John Brown and Willie Snead to replace Nelson Agholor (Patriots), Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Agholor unexpectedly emerged as the team's No. 1 wideout and top deep threat last season, essentially filling the role that Ruggs was drafted for. Meanwhile, the first-round pick put up a 26/452/2 receiving line in 13 games, with a couple huge plays surrounded by month-long stretches of near-invisibility. With Snead and Hunter Renfrow likely competing for slot work, the top candidates for perimeter snaps are Ruggs, Brown and Bryan Edwards. The Raiders surely hope their 2020 first-round pick can step up as the top guy, but Vic Tafur of the Athletic suggests the team may actually be more confident in Edwards, who was selected 69 picks later (81st overall) in the same draft. It's possible Ruggs opens his second pro season in a rotation if he doesn't assert himself ahead of Edwards in training camp.
