The Las Vegas Raiders have had to endure several tough situations throughout the NFL season.
Following Jon Gruden's firing over his controversial racist and homophobic leaked emails, Henry Ruggs' involvement in a fatal car crash left the team - and the league - in shambles.
The Raiders had no choice but to immediately cut ties with the Alabama product, who was recently released on bail as he awaits trial.
And, according to a recent report, his legal situation isn't likely to end well.
Ruggs is facing charges of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, DUI resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in death, and reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm and could be behind bars for as many as 50 years:
“The bare minimum would be two years in prison, up to as much as somewhere in the 50 [-years] range. These are non-probationable offenses,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told the media, as quoted by YardBarker “So the felony DUI charges, if Mr. Ruggs is convicted, he can’t get probation. He must get a prison sentence.”
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The Raiders signed veteran speedster DeSean Jackson to replace Ruggs.
Jackson, who only had 8 receptions for 221 yards and a touchdown for the Rams this season, said that he's looking forward to fulfilling any role the team asks him:
“I will do whatever it is I am asked to do,” Jackson told The Athletic. “Coming in midway through the season … unfortunately the situation with Ruggs, it kind of just … I am not saying I am filling that role, but just trying to be the spark that I have been my whole career. You know, deep threat, vertical threat and (forcing) a defense to have to account for that. If it’s being a decoy and opening things up for (Darren) Waller or Hunter (Renfrow), whatever I need to do to be a spark is what I am here for. … I’m not asking to get the ball 100 times.”
The veteran wideout acknowledged that he had other options but wanted to play with Derek Carr because he saw how successful Nelson Agholor was with him:
“The Raiders matched perfect,” he said. “(Agholor) had a lot of success here and just seeing that vertical threat, and having a quarterback that can get the ball down the field is huge,” Jackson said. “I had other options but I was very confident in Carr’s ability to get the ball down the field.”
Raiders QB Derek Carr was thrilled to add a veteran like Jackson to the team, citing that it won't be too long before they get on the same page:
_“I mean when you can add a talent like that, I think we are in the business of adding good football players and I’ve always loved him,” Carr told the media. “He already knows what I’m thinking. He’s played with so many great quarterbacks and he’s one of, if not the best, deep threats that’s ever played. He knows where to be in coverages and how to set them up and it’s easier to work with someone that’s played a lot of football that’s for sure."
The Raiders have no time to lose and will need to put Ruggs' situation behind them as they look to stay at the top of their division.
