Why Carr believes Agholor has revived career with Raiders originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Nelson Agholor struggled mightily in Philadelphia. The wide receiver's drop issues with the Eagles were well-documented and even became the stuff of viral meme legend.
Jon Gruden and the Raiders took a chance on Agholor last offseason, seeing a first-round talent who still was in the prime of his career. Agholor always had the speed to be a deep threat in the NFL, and Gruden believed the Silver and Black could help him reach his potential.
He was right. Agholor has been one of the lone bright spots for a 2020 Raiders season that started off with such promise and has since careened off the tracks and into a ravine. Through 16 games, Agholor has a career-high 839 yards receiving and has tied a career-high with eight touchdowns.
So, what's behind the Agholor's resurgence? To quarterback Derek Carr, the simplest answer is the right one.
“Sometimes a change of scenery is good for somebody," Carr told reporters Wednesday. "Sometimes a change of scenery doesn’t mean the player has changed, just means he fits better in that system or he fits better in that scheme or it just works out better for him. Obviously this is a career year for him. I am so thankful for him. I tell him all the time I love that man so much. I’m so happy for him. He bet on himself, you know? He came here, bet on himself and it’s really worked out for him. I’m happy for him.”
The Raiders should make re-signing Agholor one of their offseason priorities. He is averaging 17.9 yards per reception and has become a favored weapon of Carr.
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However, as Agholor continues to rack up yards, he soon could find himself outside the Raiders' price range. If that's the case, Gruden will have to work even harder to make Henry Ruggs a more integral part of the offense in 2021.
RELATED: Gruden has no one to blame for Raiders' 2020 failures but himself
After starting the season 6-3, the Raiders have lost five of their last six and once again will miss the playoffs.
But if there's one thing they can take from 2020, it's that the partnership between Carr and Agholor was a success. All the receiver needed to thrive was a change of address.
