Jordy Nelson hasn’t played in a game for the Raiders yet, but a couple of months of practice has been enough for quarterback Derek Carr to understand why Aaron Rodgers was so fond of the wideout.
Carr said Nelson “wants to do everything exactly how you want it done” and that attention to detail has left Carr feeling like he knows “why Aaron loved throwing him the ball.” Carr is looking forward to doing the same and he’s also noticed the impact that Nelson is having on the rest of the receiving corps.
“When you add a guy like that, it just trickles down throughout the whole room of guys just their study habits,” Carr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “You see Jordy off to the side when another group is in, if you just look over there, he is probably just telling somebody something about a route or a technique or a coverage. He’s very smart. He can read coverage like a quarterback.”
The Raiders are betting that Nelson’s smarts and the change of scenery will help him bounce back from a disappointing 2017 season with the Packers. If that happens and his presence helps spark a rebound for Amari Cooper as well, the move will go down as a major positive for the Raiders.