The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to make any notable moves at wide receiver this offseason. They were reportedly in on Stefon Diggs, but he chose the Washington Commanders.
There aren’t many great options left in free agency, so the team will likely be fielding the players they already have on the roster. However, with a wide receiver room that’s devoid of big names, it’s possible that none of them have a guaranteed roster spot except Jalen Nailor, who signed a multi-year contract with the Raiders this offseason.
Tre Tucker and rookie Malik Benson are also likely close to being locks to make the roster. Anybody else is fair game. Shedrick Jackson, who is the nephew of Raiders legend Bo Jackson, has shown some flashes the past year, but it’s going to be difficult for him to make the roster.
Sam Gordon of the Las Vegas Review-Journal put together a 53-man roster projection, and he didn’t have Jackson making the cut.
“Nailor and Tucker have settled in as the top two perimeter receiving targets,” Gordon wrote. “Benson has settled with the second team and filled in with the first team as a sixth-round rookie. He also profiles as a potential punt returner. Bech and Thornton — out for practice Saturday after leaving the previous two practices early — remain developmental prospects as 2025 draft picks. Bech has started to catch a rhythm following a slow start to camp. Young was a key special teamer last season for the Seattle Seahawks, for whom Kubiak was the offensive coordinator. Jackson, Johnson, Roberts, Thompkins and Williams have made their fair share of plays with second and third teams when called upon.”
Could Jackson Still Make the Roster?
The bad news for Jackson is that he’d likely have to beat out a recent draft pick if he’s going to make the roster. Benson, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. are likely all ahead of him on the depth chart.
Considering he’s already 26 and only has four career catches, his best chance of sticking in Las Vegas is to make the practice squad.
Bech & Thornton Not Stepping Up
A glimmer of hope that Jackson may have is that Bech and Thornton have both been disappointing since getting drafted in the 2025 class. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, neither of the young wide receivers has stepped up in training camp.
“Second-year players Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. have been inconsistent in camp,” Graziano wrote. “Sixth-round rookie Malik Benson from Oregon has flashed and gotten a lot of outside attention for his performance, but he needs to show he can sustain his performance outside of a controlled practice environment. There is opportunity for everyone in this group, and the hierarchy has yet to sort itself out. I do think tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer will be on the field together a lot, but the Raiders are desperate for someone in the passing game to establish themselves as a threat so they don’t have to go to, say, Denver and worry about Pat Surtain II covering Bowers.”
Raiders Predicted to Cut Family Member of Team Legend