When it comes to the receiving corps of the Oakland Raiders, there’s a lot to be excited about. Amari Cooper has had back to back 1,000 yard seasons, is off to historic start, and he’s only 22 years old. And even though Michael Crabtree had a bit of a drop problem in 2016, he still managed to haul in 89 passes for eight touchdowns and over 1,000 yards. However, it’s Oakland’s third receiver, Seth Roberts, that has the Raider Nation torn.
The Curious Case of Seth Roberts
It’s obvious that Roberts isn’t as good as Crabtree or Cooper, but how good is he? There’s no easy answer to this question. On one hand, he’s come up huge for the Raiders, catching several clutch passes and a few game winning touchdowns. On the other, he dropped nearly 12 percent of the passes thrown at him. That’s the second worst in the league. He managed to drop nine passes despite only being thrown at 77 times.
The Good
The best thing about Seth Roberts is his clutch ability. Despite not being a starter, Roberts has managed to catch 10 touchdowns through his first two years in the league, and the Raiders are undefeated in those games. That’s not a typo, the Oakland Raiders have never lost a game where Seth Roberts caught a touchdown pass. In fact, three of Roberts’ 10 career touchdowns were game winners.
As Oakland’s slot receiver, he doesn’t have to be as complete as Crabtree or Cooper. Roberts has good size and speed for the position, and despite his short-comings, Derek Carr seems to have no problem giving him chances.
The Bad
It’s easy to look at the good things that Seth Roberts has done and say he deserves a spot on the team. That’s absolutely true. However, that’s not to say that the Oakland Raiders couldn’t and shouldn’t try to improve. After all, for a slot receiver to have nine drops is ugly.
But it’s not just a matter of Roberts having bad hands. After all, Crabtree led the league in drops this year and Amari Cooper certainly had his problems in 2015. The biggest issue with Seth Roberts is that he just isn’t a special football player. He doesn’t read defenses, he’s not a consistent route runner, and sometimes he just forgets to look for the ball.
In games against elite teams, Crabtree and Cooper are going to have their hands full. Carr will need to look for his secondary weapons, and Roberts just isn’t consistent or reliable enough to carry that burden. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, do you want Seth Roberts to be the one responsible?
The Alternatives
While the Oakland Raiders didn’t spend a high draft pick or a ton of money on a wide receiver this off-season, that doesn’t mean the Raiders don’t have other options for the third receiver spot. Second year speedster Johnny Holton made some big plays last year, and practice squad star Jaydon Mickens has been receiving a ton of praise from the Raiders themselves this off-season. The troubled Ishmael Zamora from Baylor also has a chance to steal some reps.
But without a doubt, the biggest threat to Seth Roberts’ job is former first round pick, Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson has shown flashes in his four year career, but he’s never really lived up to the expectations the Minnesota Vikings had when they took him with the 29th pick. However, Patterson has never had a quarterback like Derek Carr, and he’s never played in a better situation than the one he’s in now with the Raiders.
But Patterson and Roberts are raw, talented receivers, and this preseason could be very interesting for the Raider receiving corps. Patterson is also an exceptional kick returner, so the Raiders might not want to wear him out as a receiver. But if he turns into a big play target for Derek Carr, Seth Roberts’ days as Oakland’s slot receiver may be numbered.
