If you think that the Oakland Raiders have satisfied their need for a wide receiver after signing Michael Crabtree then you may want to find a new sport to follow. The Raiders will still most definitely target a wide receiver in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Sure, Crabtree is a good signing, as I explained yesterday. But he's barely a band aid let alone a full blown remedy for the ills that plague the Raiders at the receiver position. He may be a former top ten pick but he's lost a lot of explosiveness due to injury and shouldn't be counted on to be quarterback Derek Carr's go-to weapon. Instead, the Raiders should (and likely will) look to the draft for a No. 1 wide receiver.
"The addition of Crabtree very likely won't change the Raiders' approach with the fourth pick," ESPN Raiders reporter Bill Williamson wrote. "Crabtree, who will turn 28 in September, signed for one year. He has one career 1,000 yard receiving season and his highest reception total was 85 in 2012. He is very likely a short term answer.
"So, there is little chance Crabtree's presence will eliminate Alabama's Amari Cooper and West Virginia's Kevin White from the Raiders' equation. Nor should it. These two players have a chance to be long-term No. 1 receivers. The position is still a huge need in Oakland for the long haul."
If by any miracle USC defensive linemen Leonard Williams fell to the Raiders at No. 4 GM Reggie McKenzie would scoop him up immediately. However, that is an unlikely scenario. Instead, the pick is looking like it will come down to Cooper and White. Although White has the slightly higher ceiling due to a size and speed advantage, Cooper is the superior route runner with an impeccable work ethic and a proven track record. If it was me making the pick, Cooper is about as safe as it gets and with a second-year quarterback and a lack of offensive talent, you want safety.
