The Oakland Raiders might not have acquired that No. 1 go-to guy in the offseason, but that has not hurt their confidence in the current group of receivers. Oakland passed on players like Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins in the draft, opting to sign veterans like James Jones and Greg Little in free agency. While both Little and Jones will be strong targets for quarterback Matt Schaub, but it is a few young guns making noise at the start of organized team activities.
Last season, Juron Criner was put on notice by head coach Dennis Allen. He stressed the young receiver needed to develop into a more reliable down-field target on the offense. His efforts were cut short thanks to a shoulder injury that ended his season early. However, Criner is making up for lost time and impressing early on the field.
According to Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group, Criner was "far and "away" the best receiver on the field to start OTAs. Criner has not had his name called too often since joining the Raiders. He has just 13 games to his resume over two seasons and 19 catches overall. Many Raiders fans might not even know who he is, but apparently Criner is well aware of the message Allen sent and is ready to prove his worth amongst a veteran group.
The improvement of Criner could hurt the stock of other receivers on the team. He will be competing for time on the field with other younger players like Andre Holmes and Rod Streater, both of which have better resumes than Criner. If he continues to improve, someone could see themselves released or traded.
Denarius Moore is already reportedly up for grabs. Allen has not been pleased with Moore's inconsistencies and history of dropped passes. With just one more year left on his contract, Moore is easily tradable and could be the target of teams like the Cleveland Browns or Atlanta Falcons. The more Criner improves, the more Moore becomes expendable.
Matt Schaub needs an improved wide receiver group. The veteran quarterback essentially is on a one-year audition per his contract and needs a strong year after a down season with the Texans. Criner's improvement will likely be welcomed sight for the quarterback.
