Heading into Week 7’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, the Las Vegas Raiders will attempt to end a three-game skid while taking advantage of the recent struggles of Sean McVay’s squad.
Much like most teams at this point in the NFL season, the Raiders are dealing with a few injury issues, and so are the Rams, who have several notable players injured.
Dont’e Thornton Jr. Won’t Be Activated for Week 7
One player for the Raiders who has yet to make his season debut is second-year wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. He’s dealing with a hamstring injury, which resulted in him being placed on injured reserve.
On Friday, Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak spoke to the media and let it be known that Thornton will not be activated.
“We are not, no,” Kubiak said.
However, Kubiak did provide an update on the status of the Tennessee product. The first-year head coach says Thornton is “making big progress” as he works toward making his season debut.
“He’s making big progress; he’s done a lot of good things in practice,” Kubiak said. “Still working back into getting his football leg back after missing a lot of time, but I’ve been really pleased with his effort, with his detail, and he’s closer.”
The Raiders have been pretty thin at the wide receiver position this season, with the team leaning heavily on Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Cody White and the dynamic duo at tight end in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.
Should the Raiders Trade for Hollywood Brown?
With the Raiders struggling with their depth at the wide receiver position due to injuries, there’s a chance the storied franchise could be active ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10.
One trade option the Raiders could explore is bringing in veteran wide receiver Hollywood Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, via Nick Faria of Eagles On SI.
Brown may not be the same player he once was, but he is a former 1,000-yard receiver and that could be huge for a Raiders offense whose best receiver this year is Tre Tucker. This seems like a logical fit for a team expecting to compete by the end of the year.
The veteran wide receiver could be an intriguing option on the trade block in the coming weeks, as he has only played one game for the Eagles thus far and has yet to catch a pass.
Even though he is likely not the best option at wide receiver on the trade block leading up to the deadline, the Raiders might be able to get him without giving up much, and a change of scenery might be something the veteran pass catcher would be open to in hopes of making an impact on the field this season.
Last season, Brown played in 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, racking up 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns. That kind of end zone threat would be a welcome addition in Las Vegas as another downfield target for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Raiders’ Klint Kubiak Shares Encouraging Update on Dont’e Thornton Jr.