As things stand on paper, there isn’t a lot to be excited about when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders’ wide receiver room.
After the final cuts were made, the Raiders were set to start the season with six wide receivers on the active roster, which are the following:
Six players, yet it’s hard to determine whether any would emerge as a dominant WR1 for the Raiders.
And things just got worse in the wideout department for the Las Vegas. According to Raiders PR, the team has decided to place Dont’e Thornton Jr. on the Reserve/Injured list, knocking him out for the first four games of the 2026 NFL season.
Raiders Young Wide Receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. Suffers Setback Before Start of Season
Dont’e Thornton Jr., the Raiders’ fourth-round pick from 2025, had a quiet rookie campaign, racking up just 10 catches for 135 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 games.
He had a chance to get some more reps/targets early in the season, but will now have to wait on the sideline for the first month due to an undisclosed injury.
Head coach Klint Kubiak commented on the Raiders’ wide receiver room after the practice session with the Houston Texans, saying, “I learned a lot, that we have to get a lot better very fast. We took a step backwards. This doesn’t mean we can’t go forward, but right now we are trying to find someone that is accountable and can help us on Sunday. Still looking.”
In a subsequent move, the Raiders signed wide receiver Cody White to the practice squad. “White spent the last three seasons with the Seahawks bouncing between their practice squad and active roster,” Sam Warren of The Athletic tweeted out. “He caught three passes for 90 yards and a touchdown for Klint Kubiak’s offense last year. Was also a Michigan State teammate of Jalen Nailor.”
What’s Next for the Raiders’ WR Room
For now, it looks like Kubiak and co. will see how the wide receivers perform during the start of the season.
If the production and standard don’t meet the team’s liking, the Raiders could look to sign a notable free-agent wideout or even make a trade.
Maurice Moton believes the Raiders could make a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver Marquise [Hollywood] Brown, writing, “Rather than keep Brown as their No. 4 or No. 5 receiver, the Eagles could try to make a deal with a familiar trade partner. Remember, they swapped defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV for cornerback Jakorian Bennett last August.”
That’s just one example, but it’ll be interesting to see what direction general manager John Spytek and Kubiak go if things continue to go south in the wide receiver room.
Raiders’ Wide Receiver Room Suffers Unfortunate Injury News