The Las Vegas Raiders have a No. 1 pass-catching target in Brock Bowers. However, behind the tight end, there’s not much in terms of consistent productivity from the wideout position.
In his return, Bowers showed why he’s arguably one of the best tight ends in the NFL, recording 10 receptions on 13 targets for 116 receiving yards, with his longest reception being 20 yards and one touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.
Nonetheless, if the Raiders want to push for the playoffs as the season goes along amid their 3-0 start, they will definitely need more from the wideout position. As a result, Wynston Wilcox of FanSided sees the Silver and Black as a potential landing spot for the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ Brian Thomas Jr.
In his trade pitch, Wilcox has the Raiders send a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars for Thomas and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
“Las Vegas doesn’t have hardly any Day 3 draft capital to work with in 2027 and isn’t really in the position to cough up all of its Day 3 picks,” Wilcox wrote in a Sept. 29 article. “They swap picks with Jacksonville to keep a fifth-round pick in 2027 while also surrendering a sixth-round pick in 2028.
“The Raiders have been linked to Thomas throughout the offseason and preseason if the Jags were going to move on from him. They need help in their receiver room, and Thomas is a great asset to start with.”
Brian Thomas Jr. Could Raise Raiders’ WR Room’s Floor
Through three games, the 2024 first-round pick has played 54 pass snaps for the Jaguars, leading to a 61.5 overall PFF grade. The Jaguars wideout has hauled in seven receptions on 11 targets for 88 receiving yards while averaging 12.6 yards per reception. Nonetheless, Thomas would raise the floor of the Raiders’ wide receiver room.
“Tre Tucker is currently the Raiders’ top receiver with 189 receiving yards through the first three games,” Wilcox added in his article. “With Thomas, this offense gets a weapon that can find a productive role in the offense.
“Kirk Cousins has been playing well to start his Raiders tenure and has relied heavily on the tight ends for passing production, with a combined 203 yards between the two of them this season. Thomas would be the perfect addition to this receiver room to give it a much-needed spark.”
Brock Bowers Is a Nightmare for Opposing Defenses
While the Raiders do need a No. 1 wideout, they have Bowers, who is a nightmare for opposing defenses. Recently, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes said during a Sept. 29 appearance on “NFL Live” what makes Bowers such a challenging player for opposing defenses to defend.
“In this game [against the Saints], they were in tight coverage a lot of the time, but [Bowers was] winning at the line of scrimmage,” Kimes said. “He’s winning at the top of his routes; he’s winning at the catch point [and] he’s beating them in man. He’s finding the soft spots in zone.
“I don’t think you can overstate how dominant Bowers is at his position right now. In this game, he was just unbelievable and every team in the NFL now has to figure out a way to game plan for this guy because it is not easy.”
Raiders Emerge in Trade Idea for Jaguars’ Former First-Rounder