The Las Vegas Raiders are cautiously optimistic about what the 2025 campaign holds. After laboring through a four-win season in 2024, the Raiders swung some big moves over the offseason. Guys like Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, and Pete Carroll are in town, and fans are hoping they bring some wins with them.
The latest notable move the Raiders made saw them reunite with veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper in free agency. And yet, even with his addition, it sounds like rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. could end up taking on a big role within the team’s passing attack to begin the season.
Raiders Insider Drops Truth Bomb on Dont’e Thornton Jr.
After enjoying a strong finish to his collegiate career with the Tennessee Volunteers, Thornton ended up getting selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Thornton adds big-play potential that the Raiders are sorely missing on offense, and it’s telling that, even though he only caught 26 passes for Tennessee last season, he still managed to rack up 661 yards and six touchdowns.
Throughout the summer, Thornton was one of the team’s standout performers. With wide receiver still being a weak spot for Las Vegas, Thornton’s emergence could be crucial for the team, especially in the wake of Jakobi Meyers‘ trade request. With his status up in the air for Week 1, that led the Raiders to sign Cooper in free agency.
Cooper struggled in 2024, catching 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. He could immediately take on a big role on offense, though, given the state of the Raiders‘ depth chart. According to Vincent Bonsignore of The Las Vegas Review-Journal believes that Thornton could be in line for a big role to start the 2025 season.
It feels like as we sit here today, Dont’e Thornton is going to get a little bit more playing time than Jack Bech,” Bonsignore said on the “FIRST AND 10 Podcast.” “That’s not to say that Jack is far behind or didn’t play well because when given opportunities. He looked fine.”
He’s just playing behind Jakobi Meyers where I think there’s more of a defined role this year for Dont’e Thornton because he does something different than every other wide receiver and brings something different than every wide receiver on this team.
Raiders Set to Lean Heavily on Dont’e Thornton Jr.
GettyPraise has been pouring in for Las Vegas Raiders‘ rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Meyers’ trade request has thrown the Raiders‘ wide receiver room into disarray, as it remains to be seen if he will play in Week 1 against his old team, the New England Patriots. As of right now, Meyers appears on track to suit up, but anything can happen in the NFL nowadays. If he doesn’t take the field, that would leave Tre Tucker, Cooper, Thornton, and second-round rookie Jack Bech as the top options at this spot.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Las Vegas also has a pair of top-tier pass catchers at tight end in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, but somebody is going to need to step up at wide receiver, even if Meyers is on the field. Thornton has looked the part in the early going, and it seems like he will be given an opportunity to make his mark right from the get-go this year.
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