Fresh off a 45-17 trouncing at the hands of the New England Patriots, the Las Vegas Raiders clearly have a lot of work to do. The offense and defense were totally outmatched in Week 5.
Right now, the Raiders cannot run the ball. A big reason for that is due to the fact that the Raiders don’t have a good wide receiver corps. It’s easier for defenses to stack the box when they’re not worried about the offense stretching the field.
Tight end Brock Bowers is basically an elite slot receiver in this offense, but the Raiders need another player who can catch passes consistently. The Raiders were linked to former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., but the Arizona Cardinals decided to trade him to the Houston Texans.
Though the Raiders can no longer go after Harrison, there are some other options they should consider before the trade deadline.
Brian Thomas Jr.
If the Raiders are hoping to find a young wide receiver they can have for the next several years, Brian Thomas Jr. may be the best option available. The former Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL as a rookie, but he struggled with drops in his second season and doesn’t seem to have much of a role in the offense in his third season.
Similar to Harrison, he may just need a fresh start. At 24, he could be exactly what the Raiders are looking for. However, according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars don’t plan to trade the wide receiver.
“Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.’s name has seemingly come up in trade rumors weekly since the start of last season,” Pelissero wrote.
“But while there continue to be calls periodically, Jacksonville has shown no interest in trading the former first-round pick.”
Before Harrison was traded, there was talk that the Cardinals weren’t planning on training him, so take Pelissero’s report with a grain of salt. The problem with Thomas is going to be price. If Harrison is worth a second-round pick, there’s no doubt the Jaguars are going to want the same if they trade Thomas.
Jerry Jeudy
If the Raiders want to target a cheaper option, they could call the Cleveland Browns about Jerry Jeudy. The Browns have been better than expected this season, but Jeudy is clearly getting pushed out a bit.
Cleveland drafted Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion this year, and both look like good players. That leaves Jeudy on the outs. The former first-round pick hasn’t lived up to his draft hype, but he did have 1,229 receiving yards in 2024. He’s somebody who shouldn’t cost more than a fourth-round pick if the Raiders wanted a short-term solution.
Calvin Ridley
The Tennessee Titans might be the worst team in the NFL, so it’s time to start thinking about selling off assets. If the Raiders just want a wide receiver for this season on the cheap, Calvin Ridley could be an option.
He’s 32 now, so there’s not a lot of upside there, but he’s had a few solid seasons across his career. He could likely be had for a sixth- or seventh-round pick. He wouldn’t move the needle in a big way for the Raiders, but he could be an upgrade over what they currently have.
3 WRs Raiders Should Target After Missing Out on Marvin Harrison Jr.