The Las Vegas Raiders‘ wideout situation took a hit in Week 3 with Jack Bech suffering a forearm injury. As a result, he was placed on injured reserve, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Now, the question is: Could the Silver and Black look at the veteran free agent market?
At 3-0 to start the season, the Raiders are an attractive destination, and there’s one wideout who has hit the market. On Sept. 29, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Rapoport reported, citing sources, that the New York Giants are releasing Beckham.
The 33-year-old failed to make a significant impact in his reunion with the team, but there was another reason the Giants reportedly decided to part ways with him.
New York needed to decide on Braxton Berrios, who was out of practice squad elevations and is the team’s punt returner. As a result, Beckham’s roster spot was in jeopardy, leading to this reported decision to cut ties with the veteran.
In a Sept. 29 article, Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report sees the Raiders as a potential landing spot for Beckham, given the lack of consistent production from the team’s wideout room.
“As far as wideouts go, Tre Tucker leads the group in receptions (11) and receiving yards (189), while scoring one touchdown,” Chiari wrote. “No other Raiders wide receiver has more than five catches or 52 yards through three games.
“… With that, the Raiders’ receiving corps is lacking both in terms of depth and talent, so bringing in an experienced wideout like Beckham could go a long way toward at least elevating the floor of the group.”
Raiders Could Use More Options on Offense
Moreover, Chiari notes that the Raiders need to give Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty more support on offense, as it would give veteran QB Kirk Cousins another reliable option in the passing game.
“Kirk Cousins has been a stabilizing force at quarterback for the Raiders, and he has performed well despite getting little production out of the wide receiver position,” Chiari wrote.
“Tight end Brock Bowers did most of the pass-catching work during Vegas’ Week 3 win over the New Orleans Saints, and running back Ashton Jeanty has gotten a ton of work as a runner and pass-catcher as well.”
Could a Browns Veteran Wideout Make Sense for Las Vegas?
The Raiders potentially being buyers at the trade deadline is gaining steam, with the team 3-0. Recently, Noah Olson of Browns on SI sees the Raiders as a potential trade destination for Cleveland Browns veteran wideout Jerry Jeudy.
“Jeudy still has plenty of talent and time left in the NFL,” Olson wrote in a Sept. 22 article. “Luckily for the Browns, that mix can be appealing to a wide receiver-needy team. Teams like the Raiders and Dolphins, potentially even the Bills if DJ Moore’s shoulder injury lingers, may all look to add another receiver to their roster before the Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, trade deadline.”
Jeudy is someone Klint Kubiak knows, as the Raiders’ head coach was the Denver Broncos‘ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022.
The Browns wideout was in Denver from 2020 to 2023, so Jeudy should know Kubiak’s system. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders make any moves if they’re above .500 as the trade deadline nears.
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