The main goal of the Las Vegas Raiders in the first season of the Tom Telesco/Antonio Pierce era is to make the postseason. Anything else past that, such as winning the AFC West, would be a solid bonus. So, as Raiders training camp continues to unfold, Telesco has been busy looking for ways to improve Pierce’s on-field team. In that vein, the team has signed wide receiver Dax Milne, formerly of the Washington Commanders.
“We have signed WR Dax Milne,” the Raiders’ official account on X, formerly Twitter, posted on Tuesday. “In a corresponding move, we have waived/injured DT Tomari Fox, who will revert to the Reserve/Injured list should he clear waivers.”
Under a new offensive coaching staff led by former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in the same role, the Raiders are looking to build an attack based with a lot of concepts from other West Coast based offenses. Rooted in timing and the short/intermediate passing areas, a receiver like Milne should be able to come in and contribute fairly quickly based on his current skillset.
What does Dax Milne bring to Raiders’ new offense?
The Raiders are a bit shorthanded at wide receiver right now. Top threat Davante Adams went back to Las Vegas for the expected birth of his child. Recently signed veteran Keelan Doss didn’t practice Tuesday. A pair of undrafted rookies in Tulu Griffin and Jeff Foreman have suffered injuries. Griffin has been out for the entirety of camp so far, while Foreman hurt his knee on Monday.
Milne brings experience and a bit of production as well during his three-year career. All three seasons were in Washington, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was featured sparingly on offense during his time in the nation’s capital, only starting at receiver twice during his 28 games there. His stat line of 15 catches, 120 yards and one touchdown over that time frame is largely due to the lack of playing time, but that doesn’t mean that Milne doesn’t bring a good amount to the team.
On special teams, Milne was much more integral. In 2022, the wideout led the NFL with 40 punt returns for 311 yards. He also returned 15 kickoffs for 300 yards. For a late round pick, this is solid production. If he can grow into a bigger role with the Raiders, then this small gamble may induce a large payout. For a team that calls Las Vegas home, longshots are always beloved, especially when they beat the odds like the former BYU Cougar has done on a frequent basis so far in his pro career.
