The Las Vegas Raiders spent a significant amount of money in free agency this offseason. One of their offseason signings was wideout Jalen Nailor, who will be looking for a bigger role after serving as the WR3 for the Minnesota Vikings.
Nonetheless, the question surrounding Nailor is what role he could end up in for the Silver and Black. In Minnesota, he was pegged right behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but now with the Raiders,
While the 2026 NFL season is still a few months away, Yahoo! Sports’ Matt Harmon shared his thoughts on the potential role that Nailor could fill for the Raiders. Moreover, Harmon believes that there could be a connection between Fernando Mendoza and Nailor for one major reason.
“What really stood out to me about [Nailor] was that he can play all three receiver positions when he’s used in the slot or off-ball,” Harmon said on the May 24 edition of the “Just Win Podcast.”
“He runs a lot of those deeper out-breaking routes that I thought he was really effective on, and he is good in tight coverage, which, again, if we’re thinking about Fernando Mendoza, he and Omar Cooper [Jr.] had a great connection on those out routes at all three levels of the field.
“… It was the best route that he thought he and Mendoza had a good connection on. So Nailor could potentially be a fit in that regard.”
It will be interesting to see when Mendoza takes over as the starter, whether it’s right out of the gate or midway through the season, if there’s a connection with Nailor.
Jalen Nailor Might Become a Breakout Candidate
Moreover, with Nailor taking on a bigger role with the Raiders, the wideout is being seen as a potential breakout candidate. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay is buying into that possibility, listing Nailor as one of the five underrated players who will surprise their new team this upcoming 2026 NFL season.
“Jalen Nailor is poised to break out in a big way this coming season,” Kay wrote in his May 6 article. “The wideout finally has a chance to shine now that he’s escaped the large shadow cast by the Minnesota Vikings’ dynamic duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
“During his first four seasons in the NFL, Nailor only caught 69 balls for 1,066 yards. While he reeled in a solid 11 touchdowns over that span, Nailor projects to see far more volume and play a much larger role now that he’s with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Vegas scooped Nailor off the open market with a three-year, $35 million contract that could soon be remembered as one of the best value signings of the year. While Nailor’s previous production may not warrant an eight-figure annual salary, the 2022 sixth-rounder’s upside and potential as a focal point in a Fernando Mendoza-led passing attack are worth the investment.”
Raiders Pass Catching Group Gets Blunt Message
Regardless of what role Nailor plays for the Raiders, Harmon is one of those who have major questions when it comes to the Silver and Black’s pass catchers. However, he does mention there are intriguing pieces.
“We don’t have to mince words here,” Harmon added. “On paper, it’s one of the weaker wide receiver rooms in the league, but these are credible NFL players, especially if Bech takes a step in Year 2. They’re all kind of orbiting around [Brock] Bowers, who we expect to be the load-bearing player in the passing game.”
Raiders’ Jalen Nailor Could Fill Major Role for Fernando Mendoza