Prior to the season, the Las Vegas Raiders had to place wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. on Injured Reserve. He missed much of training camp with a hamstring injury, so the team thought it would be better to give him plenty of time to recover.
He has been fully healthy for a few weeks now, but the Raiders decided against activating him. The deadline to activate Thornton was coming up, and the team made a final decision. The Raiders announced that the wide receiver has officially been activated to the active roster.
Had the Raiders not activated him, he would’ve been out for the rest of the season. They could’ve also released him, which would’ve been a disappointing outcome for a player who was a fourth-round pick a year ago.
This is interesting news for the Raiders. The wide receiver has been a problem area for the team. Thornton had an underwhelming rookie season, but he’s 6-foot-5 and runs a 4.30 40-yard dash. He’s one of the most athletically gifted wide receivers in the NFL. If he can improve as a route runner and at catching the ball, he has a chance to be a very special player. He should get some opportunities due to the lack of talent in the Raiders’ wide receiver room.
Thornton Still Has a Lot to Prove
The Raiders really liked Thornton heading into last season. He even earned a Week 1 starting spot before eventually getting benched.
His biggest problem is that he has missed a lot of valuable practice time. He wasn’t active much in training camp and has only been practicing with the Raiders for the last three weeks.
Head coach Klint Kubiak recently praised Thornton’s effort, but did admit he still had work to do.
“He’s making big progress; he’s done a lot of good things in practice,” Kubiak said recently. “Still working back into getting his football leg back after missing a lot of time, but I’ve been really pleased with his effort, with his detail, and he’s closer.”
It remains to be seen how far along Thornton is, but considering the Raiders’ wide receiver room is light on talent, he should get some chances.
Will Thornton Carve Out a Role?
The fact that the Raiders waited until the last minute to activate Thornton is a bit concerning. If they thought he was an important part of the offense, they would’ve rushed him to the field.
That doesn’t mean he can’t still make an impact. He’s easily the Raiders’ biggest wide receiver, and Tre Tucker is likely the only one who is faster. Having a big body who can stretch the field could be an advantage for the offense.
It’s unlikely Thornton will be ready to make plays by the Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets. It should take some time before the Raiders start giving him real snaps. He’s going to have to take advantage of the opportunities that he’s given. He’s got the athletic gifts to be a superstar, but the Raiders would be happy if he could just make a few catches a game.
Raiders Make Final Decision on WR Dont’e Thornton Jr.