Silver Minings: Raiders’ signing of John Brown has ‘potential to be excellent business’

While the Las Vegas Raiders bid farewell to Trent Brown in free agency last week, their signing of another Brown, namely wide receiver John Brown, has earned the team their highest approval rating of the offseason so far.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus recently ranked every NFL team’s best signing in free agency to date, and while he doesn’t agree with all their moves, the Brown acquisition from the Buffalo Bills garnered high praise:

Signing Brown to replace Nelson Agholor has the potential to be excellent business, however. Only Tyreek Hill scored more deep touchdowns than the six Agholor scored in 2020. While Henry Ruggs III is supposed to provide that threat within the offense, he didn’t as a rookie. Brown has been a consistently excellent deep receiver in his career and should provide a smart insurance plan for that role.

Brown will play the role Nelson Agholor had with the Raiders last year after the latter went to New England on a $22 million contract.

As we reported over the weekend, Brown — who signed a one-year deal worth $3.75 million with incentives — said the allure to play for Raiders coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr prompted him to turn down higher offers in free agency.

In other Raiders’ links:

• ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Raiders taking Kentucky middle linebacker Jamin Davis in his latest mock draft.
• The Raiders’ reworked contract with backup QB Marcus Mariota gets mostly positive reactions from around the league. Mariota agreed to a one year, $3.5 million deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
• Cornerback Nevin Lawson re-signed with the Raiders on Tuesday. Last season, Lawson appeared in 14 contests and made nine starts for Las Vegas, logging a career-high 60 tackles.
• Safety Johnathan Abram works out with his daughter in this adorable hype video celebrating “things falling into place.”
• The Raiders might face Joe Flacco at quarterback when the Eagles come to town next season after the former Ravens and Jets QB signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia to back up Jalen Hurts.