Raiders' Keys to Success in 2021 NFL Season

As Jon Gruden enters the fourth season of his second stint as the team's head coach, the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to emerge as a legitimate playoff contender. They have reached the postseason only once in the past 18 seasons, and they haven't won a playoff game since the 2002 campaign.

The AFC West is going to be a tough division. The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, while the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos could make progress from 2020. But the Raiders are right in the mix and will likely be battling for a playoff berth as well.

Over the past three seasons, the Raiders have displayed steady improvement, which led to an 8-8 showing in 2020. What needs to happen in order for them to take the next step?

Here are three keys to success for Las Vegas entering the upcoming season.

While the Raiders may not have lost their receiving leader from last season (tight end Darren Waller), they did lose their No. 1 wideout. Nelson Agholor, who broke out in his first and only year in Las Vegas, is now with the New England Patriots after signing with them in free agency.

Waller is likely going to put up big numbers again in 2021, but the Raiders still need a wide receiver to step up, seize the top spot on the depth chart and give quarterback Derek Carr a clear No. 2 option alongside Waller. And there are several receivers who are candidates to do that this year.

Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards are both entering their second NFL seasons and are potential breakout candidates. Hunter Renfrow is back for his third year with the team, while veteran John Brown signed with the team during free agency.

Of that group, Ruggs has the most potential. He was Las Vegas' first pick in the 2020 NFL draft, and he flashed his big-play ability during his rookie campaign. According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, Ruggs "had a very good offseason, putting on some muscle and building chemistry" with Carr.

If Ruggs (or another receiver, for that matter) takes a huge step forward this season, it would help fill the void created by Agholor's departure and perhaps make the offense even better than it was in 2020.

Las Vegas' offensive line is going to look quite different in 2021, with several new starters up front. Among them is a pair that will need to play well in order for the unit to succeed: center Andre James and right tackle Alex Leatherwood.

James has big shoes to fill considering the Raiders' previous center was Rodney Hudson, a three-time Pro Bowler who excelled with the team from 2015 to 2020, solidifying himself as a top-tier player at the position. But Hudson is with the Arizona Cardinals now after getting traded during the offseason.

James has played 28 games for the Raiders over the past two seasons, so he's already familiar with the offense and up to speed on many things. Leatherwood doesn't have that experience, as the first-round selection is entering his rookie season.

After Week 1 of the preseason, Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson pointed out that Leatherwood wasn't "on the same page as the rest of the line." That could improve as the 22-year-old gets more time with the team, and it's something that needs to happen for the Raiders to be strong up front.

Keep an eye on James, Leatherwood and Las Vegas' offensive line to be either a reason for offensive success or for continued struggles.

One of the Raiders' biggest weaknesses last season was their lack of a pass rush. They ranked 29th in the NFL with only 21 sacks, which showcased how little pressure the unit was putting on opposing quarterbacks.

Las Vegas hopes to have addressed that issue in free agency, bringing in defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas and Gerald McCoy. Those additions should strengthen the defensive front, particularly Ngakoue, who has 45.5 sacks over his first five NFL seasons. And he may put up even better numbers now that he's joined the Raiders.

"You'll see a different version of me," Ngakoue recently said, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "I'm not a big talker. I let my pads talk. But I just feel like I've been treating myself well mentally and physically."

If Ngakoue is a disruptive force and several other Las Vegas defensive linemen also help to create pressure, including some returning players who could take steps forward, then this unit may no longer be one of the team's weaknesses. And that's going to have to happen for the Raiders defense to reach another level.