The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have the luxury of waiting around for help at receiver. With the November 10 trade deadline approaching and Brock Bowers doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the passing game, the roster still looks thin enough that one move could matter fast. That need only sharpened in Week 5, when Cody White had to function as the No. 2 receiver against the New England Patriots and finished with two catches for 44 yards.
The situation gets more complicated with Jack Bech on injured reserve and Jalen Nailor stuck in concussion protocol. Nailor’s first impression hasn’t moved the needle much either, with just five catches for 52 yards.
Even if he is cleared to play this week, the Raiders still have reason to keep shopping for a receiver who can help on Sundays. They also added some depth Monday, signing former Cleveland Brown Jamari Thrash to the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
One name to watch is Darnell Mooney, who is currently with the New York Giants. The connection there has not clicked with backup quarterback Jameis Winston. In Week 5, Mooney managed only two catches on seven targets for 14 yards, and he and Winston spent time on the sideline trying to sort out the issues in their timing.
Mooney’s role in New York also leaves him exposed. At the moment, he looks like at best the third option in the passing game behind Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely, and rookie third-rounder Malachi Fields could eventually leap him as well.
The Raiders, meanwhile, could see a familiar fit. Mooney already has chemistry with Kirk Cousins from their time together with the Atlanta Falcons between 2024 and 2025, when he caught 64 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns in the first of those two seasons.
Cousins started 22 of 24 games across that span, which gave the pair plenty of chances to build that rapport. A reunion in Las Vegas could give the offense a jolt.
If the Raiders want a cheaper route, Bub Means is another receiver worth checking. He’s on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad and hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since 2024.
That season, the 25-year-old Las Vegas native played in Klint Kubiak’s offense and caught nine of 15 targets for 118 yards and a touchdown. It’s not the biggest swing, but Means knows the system, brings a 6-2, 215-pound frame, and has enough playmaking juice to make the idea interesting if Nailor stays out or Bech’s absence stretches beyond the minimum four weeks.
The other issue sitting right in front of the Raiders is left guard. Pro Football Focus says Spencer Burford has allowed a team-high 18 pressures, and that kind of pass protection problem can force a coach’s hand. Kubiak may eventually have to make a move.
There are internal options to consider first. Bryce Cabeldue has already worked under Kubiak in Seattle, while the staff could look at second-year guard Caleb Rogers on the left side or turn to rookie third-rounder Trey Zuhn III once he returns from a knee injury. But general manager John Spytek could also start asking around the league about Zak Zinter, the 2024 third-round pick out of Michigan who has started only three career games.
In Other News...
Raiders Need Their Young DBs Ready For A Brutal Bills Test
The Raiders came out of the New England game with plenty to sort through on defense, and the spotlight naturally landed on the young secondary. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard and head coach Klint Kubiak both acknowledged the need for improvement after a rough outing, while rookie defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Hezekiah Masses were among the players highlighted as encouraging pieces who also took some lumps along the way.
Both young DBs have already shown they can make plays, with interceptions on their season resumes, but the next test comes quickly against Buffalo. With the Bills looming, Las Vegas is looking for Stukes and Masses to steady themselves, rebuild confidence and show that the lessons from New England can translate into cleaner coverage when the competition ramps up again. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeantys Biggest Raiders Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Ashton Jeantys early-season workload has already become a focal point for the Raiders, and not in the way anyone imagined when the offense started leaning on him so heavily. He has carried the ball 88 times without a rushing touchdown, and the frustration is especially visible near the goal line, where the Raiders have repeatedly asked him to finish drives behind an offensive line that has too often let runs get stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.
The biggest complication is that Jeanty has been doing it while managing an ankle injury, which has made the evaluation even murkier for Las Vegas. The Raiders have not had much room for error in short-yardage situations, and this weeks matchup only adds to the urgency, since both teams have been vulnerable to touchdowns allowed from inside their own 5-yard lines. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Cornerback Battle Suddenly Puts An Offseason Starter On Notice
The Raiders cornerback picture is shifting quickly, and Eric Stokes is suddenly at the center of it. Signed to a three-year contract as an offseason addition, the veteran has not settled into the role the team envisioned, and through five games he has struggled enough in coverage that the Raiders are clearly taking a harder look at what comes next on the back end.
Darien Porter has been one of the brighter developments in that evaluation. The second-year corner has played well enough recently to draw praise from head coach Klint Kubiak, and his rise has also caught the attention of media analyst Ted Nguyen, who suggested his snap count could keep climbing as the Raiders sort out the depth chart. For a defense still trying to find the right mix at corner, the competition is very much alive. [Read more 🡒]