The Oakland Raiders signed wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson via free agency. He's expected to take snaps on offense, but where does it leave Seth Roberts?
A 49.4 percent catch rate. It's a poor statistic that sticks to Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts after the 2016 season. In fairness to the third-year pro, it doesn't shed the full light on his year with the team.
As spectators, we see the dropped passes in the open field and roll our eyes. He's a professional, my child can catch in space better than Roberts. Those are some of the comments made when watching the former undrafted free agent struggle to hold onto the ball during stretches last year.
When lounging on the couch or at the bar on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, we praise the splash plays. Raider fans loved seeing Michael Crabtree snag a reception and keep his feet in bounds and Amari Cooper burning defenders with his quickness.
Nonetheless, Roberts' contributions often went overlooked. For starters, he secured a game-winning touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8:
Derek Carr.
Seth Roberts.FOR THE WIN. #RaiderNation #OAKvsTB https://t.co/ysquu6TZe2
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2016
For the criticism Roberts receives, his quarterback trusts him in the end zone. Rotoworld's Evan Silva tracked the top 10 players in red-zone targets in the previous season. The 26-year old wideout listed No. 9 on the list, one target fewer than Crabtree:
Top-10 players in Red-Zone Targets last year. Which one does not belong? pic.twitter.com/9C9GESvFD2
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) May 28, 2017
We'd all agree Derek Carr makes great decisions with the football. He only threw six interceptions during the previous campaign and completed 63.8 percent of his passes. Should we question his confidence in Roberts in the red zone?
For every drop, Roberts has the ability to rebound with a great catch. As a receiver, it's best to forget the drops and wipe the slate clean for the next play. Carr does the same, which explains why he continued to look toward his slot receiver in the clutch:
A little @DerekCarrQB to @SethTRoberts magic for a @RAIDERS TD! #RaiderNation https://t.co/VOy5cDRENA
— NFL (@NFL) October 2, 2016
Seth Roberts Gets Down and Dirty
Beyond the splash plays, Roberts doesn't receive enough praise for his non-box score contributions. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 6 among all wide receivers in run blocking. Front offices don't draft wideouts to put on a clinic in blocking, but the added skill certainly helps the Raiders offense.
Unfortunately, blocks that spring running backs or receivers into the open field don't reach SportsCenter highlights or the front page on your favorite sports site. For those sifting through old clips, check out Roberts doing all the dirty work downfield:
Seth Roberts taking on safety Corey Graham and springing J-Rich. pic.twitter.com/YsfMLEUKCh
— GipsySafety (@GipsySafety) May 27, 2017
Carr. Cooper.
35-yard @Raiders TOUCHDOWN! #HOUvsOAK #MiPartidoMiNFL https://t.co/H9CcC2kGCD
— NFL (@NFL) November 22, 2016
How quickly we overlook how a play develops and the teamwork needed to score a touchdown. When Roberts struggles to reel in passes or come down with a tough catch in the end zone, he's still valuable to pushing this offense downfield.
The Raiders signed wideout Cordarrelle Patterson, and he's expected to push for snaps at receiver during the upcoming season. Before falling for the newest acquisition, who brings value to the offense, don't shoo away the incumbent at the position yet.
With Patterson involved, Roberts will continue to flash as an asset inside the 20-yard line and as an unselfish body taking down defenders while his teammates rack up yards after the catch.
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