The 2020 Las Vegas Raiders are going to be a sight to see when they inevitably arrive in the desert, and there's a lot to be excited about when you look at the roster from top to bottom.
Through free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft, the Silver and Black have added 28 new faces to the roster — this team is going to look very different from a year ago, but in a good way. I know many of you already own a handful of Raiders jerseys already, but perhaps you're looking to add a few more to your wardrobe.
The newest members of the Silver and Black have submitted their number choices for 2020 and I know Raider Nation is anxious to see what they are; let's take a look.
Number Changes
Before we get to the new additions, let's recap who will be sporting some fresh digits next season.
Until now, kicker Daniel Carlson has worn No. 8 throughout his tenure with the Raiders, but with the arrival of quarterback Marcus Mariota, Carlson has forfeited the number to the former Heisman Trophy recipient, and will now wear No. 2 — a fitting number for a kicker.
This isn't the first time Nick Nelson has changed his number; he'll now takeover former Raider Gareon Conley's No. 21, which Conley sported prior to the team trading him to the Houston Texans for a third-round pick during the middle of last season.
Position | Player | Number |
---|---|---|
K | Daniel Carlson | 2 |
WR | De'Mornay Pierson-El | 17 |
DL | Jeremiah Valoaga | 95 |
RB | Rod Smith | 36 |
CB | DJ Killings | 34 |
CB | Nick Nelson | 21 |
DL | Kendal Vickers | 78 |
Draft Picks
Following the 2020 NFL Draft, Henry Ruggs III went live on social media to answer some questions from Raider Nation, and the most frequently asked question was what number is he going to wear. Ruggs didn't withhold the information and revealed he'd keep the same number he wore in college, which is 11. Personally, I'm a fan of receivers wearing a number in the teens, as opposed to somewhere in the eighties.
Fellow first-round pick Damon Arnette will be taking former Raider Daryl Worley's old number, 20. The former Ohio State Buckeye used to wear No. 3 in college, but the NFL requires defensive backs to wear a number between 20 and 40 — which for the record I think is dumb. How cool would it be to see a defensive lineman rocking No. 1? Or a wide receiver with a No. 7 across their chest? Oh well, I digress…
The newest Clemson Tiger to join the Clemson Raiders is Tanner Muse and he'll rock the double fives. I hope Muse is the kind of linebacker who wears the neck support with his pads, I feel like Coach Gruden would love that.
Position | Player | Number |
---|---|---|
WR | Henry Ruggs III | 11 |
CB | Damon Arnette | 20 |
RB | Lynn Bowden Jr. | 33 |
WR | Bryan Edwards | 89 |
LB | Tanner Muse | 55 |
OL | John Simpson | 76 |
CB | Amik Robertson | 41 |
Free Agents
The Raiders certainly got better through the draft, but the team made some major improvements first in free agency.
Linebacker was the biggest area of need for the team and they addressed that need by signing emerging stars Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. Littleton joins the Raiders after four years with the Rams and will get a change of scenery in Las Vegas, where he'll don a new number as well, No. 42. Kwiatkoski, on the other hand, will keep the same number he's worn throughout his career, which is No. 44.
As I mentioned earlier, the flying Hawaiian, Marcus Mariota, will continue to wear No. 8 after Carlson switched to No. 2. Usually, there's some sort of exchange when a player takes another player's number, so I'm curious whether Carlson was just a good dude and gave it up for free, or if he had to barter with Mariota.
One man who should never have to ask for a number, however, is Jason Witten.
The future Hall of Famer is on the Mount Rushmore of NFL tight ends and his resume speaks for itself. Few players have accomplished what Witten has achieved in his career and he's one of the most well-respected individuals in the league. Always known for wearing No. 82, Witten will continue to do so in the Silver and Black.
Position | Player | Number |
---|---|---|
DB | Damarius Randall | 23 |
DL | Maliek Collins | 97 |
DB | Jeff Heath | 38 |
LB | Nick Kwiatkoski | 44 |
LB | Cory Littleton | 42 |
QB | Marcus Mariota | 8 |
DL | Carl Nassib | 94 |
TE | Jason Witten | 82 |
WR | Nelson Agholor | 15 |
TE | Nick O'Leary | 84 |
OL | Eric Kush | 64 |
DL | Daniel Ross | 93 |
OL | Jordan Devey | 65 |
Take a look through photos from the first draft class of the Las Vegas Raiders.