We’re pitting teammates against each other for the second and final wide receiver spot on the 2000s team.
Previously, Silver and Black Pride polled Las Vegas Raiders fans to see who deserves the No. 1 wide receiver spot on the Raiders’ 2000s All-Quarter Century Team, and Tim Brown won by a landslide with over 90 percent of the votes. So, we’re following up and giving Jerry Rice and Jerry Porter a second chance to make the squad as the WR2.
But, S&BP is also throwing a little curveball at the community by including another pair of teammates from the franchise’s Oakland days, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.
As a reminder, this will be the final wide receiver spot on the All-2000s team, so get your vote in to ensure your guy earns a spot!
Jerry Rice
Previously:
Raiders Stats: 243 catches, 3,286 yards, 18 TDs (4 seasons, 54 games)
Accolades: Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro (2002)
While he gained more notoriety for his work across the Bay, Rice’s tenure with the Raiders in the early 2000s was also impressive. At 39 and 40 years old, he still managed to have consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns and ranks 14th in franchise history for receiving yards despite playing just three and a half seasons with the club. The G.O.A.T. receiver also had postseason success in Oakland, adding another 27 catches, 434 yards and three touchdowns in five playoff games to his silver and black stat line.
Jerry Porter
Photo by David Madison/Getty Images
Previously:
Raiders Stats: 284 catches, 3,939 yards, 30 TDs (8 seasons, 105 games)
Accolades: none
The 2000 second-round pick spent the majority of his first few seasons in the NFL as the third receiver behind the two wideouts above, leading to a slow start to begin his career. But Porter proved to be an excellent third wideout and complement to the Hall of Famers in 2002, racking up nearly 700 yards and nine touchdowns. He also led the league with 237 yards and three touchdowns during the postseason that year. Then, when Brown and Rice left, Porter became the top target and flirted with 1,000-yard campaigns in ‘04 and ‘05, notching 998 and 942 yards, respectively.
Amari Cooper
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Raiders Stats: 225 catches, 3,183 yards, 27 TDs (4 seasons, 52 games)
Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl (2015, 2016)
Cooper has had an impressive 10-year career in the NFL, where he’s one of 57 players in league history to record more than 10,000 receiving yards, and it all started in Oakland. The 2015 fourth overall pick came out of the gates firing, becoming the first rookie in franchise history and the first receiver to exceed 1,000 yards since Randy Moss did it in 2005. That helped earn his first of two Pro Bowl appearances with the club, and it’s technically three if you count the 2018 campaign, where he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys midseason. Cooper was also an integral part of the 2016 offense that was seventh in points scored and helped end the Raiders’ infamous playoff drought. He currently ranks 15th for receiving yards in franchise history and is tied for 17th in touchdowns.
Michael Crabtree
Raiders Stats: 232 catches, 2,543 yards, 25 TDs (3 seasons, 46 games)
Accolades: none
The Silver and Black had quite the receiving duo from 2015 to 2017, where Crabtree served as an excellent possession receiver and red zone threat. His 25 touchdowns were the fifth-most by a wide receiver during that timeframe, per StatMuse, and rank tied for 12th in franchise history, via Pro Football Reference. Like Cooper, Crab was an integral part of the 2016 squad, leading the team in receptions (89) and scores (eight). Even in a down year, 2017, he still found the end zone eight times. It’s a wonder how he never made a Pro Bowl, but there’s no denying that he had a strong three-year run with the Silver and Black.
So, which wide receiver are you going with for the WR2 spot on the Raiders’ 2000s All-Quarter Century Team?
Vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments section with your reasoning. If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. Sign up and go to the comments section.