The Las Vegas Raiders need to turn things around quickly if they hope to save this season. After a 3-0 start, the team has dropped to 3-4.
The offense has been mostly solid this season, but they need to be even better if the defense is going to play as poorly as it has been. A big problem that the offense faces is that no wide receivers besides Tre Tucker have stepped up and become consistent playmakers.
The Raiders were hoping that 2025 second-round pick Jack Bech would be a more impactful player this season in a better offense. He had a slow start to the year before breaking his forearm against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3.
He never really got the chance to get going. The Raiders could really use his help, and it looks like he could return soon. The team announced that they have designated Bech for return to practice from the Reserve/Injured list.
This gives the Raiders 21 days from now to decide if Bech is ready to play or not. They wouldn’t have activated him if they didn’t think he was close. A return against the New York Jets in Week 8 is unlikely, but playing against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9 could be a possibility.
Raiders Nearing Dont’e Thornton Decision
Bech likely won’t have to wait the entire 21 days to hear a decision like another wide receiver has. Dont’e Thornton got hurt in training camp and didn’t get a chance to play in the preseason.
He started the season on Injured Reserve but has been healthy for weeks now. Despite that, the Raiders have been apprhensive to give him a roster spot quite yet. The deadline to make a decision is Wednesday. If the Raiders don’t activate him to the active roster, he will be out for the rest of the season.
According to head coach Klint Kubiak, the Raiders are going to wait until the last minute to reveal their decision.
“That’s a decision we don’t have to make until Wednesday,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday.
Kubiak has spoken candidly about how Thornton needs to prove himself before the Raiders give him a spot on the roster. He clearly hasn’t done that yet. The team likely already knows what they’re going to do, but it’s difficult to know where the second-year pro stands.
Jalen Nailor Talks Raiders’ Struggles
The Raiders weren’t expected to be great heading into the season, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise that they’re 3-4. However, the team has shown flashes that they can compete with anybody.
If more wide receivers were making plays, that would certainly help. Jalen Nailor has mostly been a non-factor this season, but he has an idea of what the Raiders need to do better.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about executing the X’s and O’s,” Nailor said after the game. “We’ve just got to find a way to do that better and complement the defense or special teams. We’ve got to play a whole complete game as a whole team.”
Raiders Get Good News on Key Injured Player